The 3 most important rules for summer workouts:

1. Hydrate
2. Hydrate
3. Hydrate

I can’t overstate the importance of drinking enough fluids during the summer.  It’s something that should be done all year, but is absolutely crucial during the hot summer months, especially if you plan on taking your fitness routine outdoors.  We lose a lot of water and electrolytes through our sweat, so it’s critical that you replenish your body’s fluids throughout the day.

Here are a few things to know about hydration:

When to drink:

Start early.  If your day starts with coffee and the first non-coffee drink only happens when you’re thirsty, you’re way behind.  The feeling of thirst only happens after your body already needs fluid.  Your body didn’t get any water while you slept, so have a glass of water before your cup of Joe.  Coffee is fine in the morning, but tea would be better.  Or, have your favorite brew first, then switch to tea/water during mid-morning.  Try and keep a drink handy all the time – the act of getting a drink is often inconvenient enough to stop us from doing it (“I’ll finish one more thing, then get a drink…”).  By hydrating properly during the day, you ensure that you won’t be dehydrated before you even get to the gym!  It’s also ideal to drink at least 8oz before you start your workout – remember what we said about thirst and how late it shows up?  During exercise, drink about 5oz of water or low-calorie sports drink for every 15-20 minutes of exercise.  Save the sugary sports drinks for when you’re really kickin’ butt or when your blood sugar is low.  Remember, 8oz of a regular sports drink has as many calories as an Oreo.  After your workout, have another 8oz or more within a half-hour.  Keep sipping water the rest of your day and you should be good.

What to drink:

We touched on a few choices but let’s break down each one.

Water is the best!  It’s a natural and basic source of hydration.  It’s calorie free and bottled water often has a slight flavor to it, unique to each brand (you might not notice it if you’re used to strong soft drinks).  Ice water is often more appetizing, but if that’s still an issue, you can get more flavor from a lemon wedge or a little tea.

If you’re exercising, you might crave a sports drink.  The electrolytes can help if you’re really sweating, but the sugar can negate your hard work, especially if you’re justifying the calories.  Water it down if you must, but try and stick to low-calorie drinks.  If you’re worried about your blood sugar during the workout, have a piece of fruit beforehand, or a sports drink available for when you really need it.

Tea is just as great as water; it might not be appealing during your workout, but it’s great for the morning or afternoon.  Make sure it’s unsweetened!!  If you get used to it unsweetened, you won’t miss the sugar.  Tea has all the calorie-free benefits of water but antioxidants and flavonoids, too (they fight disease and cellular stress).  It has as much or as little flavor as you want and can be hot or cold to suit your mood.  Brew a few bags and take it with you to go in a mug or stainless steel bottle.

Juice is another popular choice but the calories are hard to ignore.  I know it has vitamins and minerals, but I would rather you eat the actual fruit instead.  That way you won’t accidentally overshoot a single serving and you’ll get fiber, too.  Soda is a four-letter word around here, but I’ll address it anyway.  It won’t dehydrate you like the many anti-soda articles claim, but the added calories come with no nutritional benefit, and calorie-free sodas have artificial sweeteners (which is a topic in itself).  There are so many other (better) choices.

Alcohol dehydrates you, so be mindful of this during the summer heat.  Not only is alcohol a diuretic but we don’t usually having anything hydrating while out drinking.  If you’re on the town or just enjoying yourself at a barbeque, drink water in between sips of your spirit to hydrate.  If you’re going to exercise, skip it completely, both before and after.  Otherwise, dehydration could get serious for you very quickly.

Don’t forget, dehydration is cumulative.  It’s important to catch dehydration before it becomes serious.  Here are some of the symptoms you may experience:

• Dry/sticky mouth
• Thirst
• Headache

• Dizziness or lightheadedness

• Decreased urine output

• Constipation

You can learn more about the causes, symptoms, and serious complications stemming from dehydration here: http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/dehydration/basics/symptoms/con-20030056

And for a more detailed breakdown of hydration guidelines, try this American College of Sports Medicine brochure: http://www.acsm.org/docs/brochures/selecting-and-effectively-using-hydration-for-fitness.pdf

Drink up!