Drinking water from the Adelaide Filtered Water Coolers and exercising
To live a healthy life, you have to move. And drink water. It seems obvious that drinking water is necessary before or after exercise. You lose a lot of fluid by sweating and those who don't drink on time will suffer from dehydration symptoms or cramps. Even more. Your blood gets thicker and it takes your heart more effort to pump it around, so you get less oxygen and energy. The message is better prevention than cure. But how much water do you drink best now? Do you do that before or after exercise? And do we stick to water or are sports drinks also useful? Try to add fruit to your water. 12 Ultimate water with fruit combinations. Does it make sense to drink water after eating fruit?
How much water do I have to drink when I exercise?
Benefits of drinking a glass of water on an empty stomach. First this. The amount of water you need depends on the effort you are going to make. Those who climb Mont Ventoux at 30 ° C naturally have more water than they need for half an hour on the home trainer. A good rule of thumb is this: if you opt for a moderate activity such as a half-hour walk or a quiet jog, then your daily recommended amount of water of 1.5 litres is sufficient. However, most authorities also recommend drinking a glass of water before this effort.
Those who exercise intensively will therefore need more water. We then talk about efforts lasting more than half an hour. Extra moisture supply is a must for this anyway. Without enough fluid, your muscles cannot function as well and cramps can occur. Exactly how much you should drink is difficult to say. Everybody is different. But on average you lose a litre of fluid during one hour of exercise. So keep in mind that you drink enough before, during and after exercise.
Also, note the following factors. They affect the amount of moisture you need:
- Temperature: sun or freezing cold?
- Duration of the effort: half an hour or more?
- Exercise intensity: jogging or running?
- The clothing you wear: well-packed or moisture-absorbing fitness clothing?
Drinking water before exercise
In the case of a moderate sporting effort (half an hour of jogging), you should not, in principle, take extra water. Although a glass of water in advance will certainly not hurt. If you want to exercise more intensively, it is advisable to take some extra water before you exercise. After all, you must be thirsty. Thirst is a sign that your body already lacks water. Therefore, drink 250 to 500 ml half an hour before the start of the endurance effort. Do this for example during the warm-up. Of course, try to avoid having to go to the toilet constantly during exercise.
Drinking water during exercise
If you exercise longer and more intensively, ensure that you drink enough during exercise. It is important that you try to feel for yourself what you need. Those who sweat little during the effort need less water. Taking too much water can in turn cause stomach and intestinal problems. So try to find a good balance and do not take too large sips. At one sport you can of course take a drinking bottle more easily than in the other.
Drink water after exercise
After exercising it is important to bring your moisture level back to the required level. If you then have to get back to work quickly, it should naturally happen quickly. Because it is almost impossible to fully balance your fluid balance during exercise. That is why it must happen afterwards. The recommendation is to drink more water than you lost due to sweating. Logical, but not that easy to measure. On average, most people lose a litre of water during an hour's exercise. You can use that as a guide. Also, keep in mind that you also lose water after exercise. Your body does not cool down so quickly. So drink plenty of water after exercise. This way you also avoid muscle pain due to a fluid deficiency.
Also, pay attention to your urine after exercise. It may be an indicator to do it differently next time. Pale and watery urine indicates sufficient body fluid. If the urine looks yellow and "thick", you may be dehydrated and you have not drunk enough during or before exercise.
How much water do you have to drink in total?
Of course, there are no exact laws and one person is already sweating a little more than the other. but there are a number of rules of thumb that you can observe. With efforts of less than an hour, you only have to drink water. If you exercise longer, it is best to drink a sports drink that contains the necessary sugars. This way you avoid hypoglycaemia (low blood sugar) and fatigue that occur when your energy reserves run out. Be careful not to drink too much, otherwise, you risk digestive problems. The drink must be fresh, but not ice cold (around 15 ° C is ideal).
Read also: 5 Helpful tips for losing weight by drinking water.