Water is one of the most important resources for human life. This is especially true for athletes who train almost 24/7 for their livelihood and self-improvement. However, if you’re an athlete, chances are, you’d still feel thirsty even if you have drunk a gallon of water on a particularly strenuous day. The reason behind that is water alone is not enough to quench your thirst. And in this article, we’ll discuss the reason why.
What You Lose When Working Out
- Water -This one is pretty obvious. We lose water and that’s the reason why we have a tendency to feel thirsty. Our bodies are made up of about 70% water that’s why it’s so important to stay hydrated. When working out, the average adult loses up to 1.4 liters of water per hour of exercise.
- Minerals – Whenever you sweat, you also have the tendency of losing important vitamins and minerals like Ascorbic Acid, B1, and B2. Such nutrients are vital to keeping our bodies healthy especially our heart, lungs, and bone density.
- Electrolytes – These are chemicals that help ensure that bodily functions run at the best levels including blood circulation and volume, as well as maintaining optimal nerve function. Electrolytes can include potassium, sodium, magnesium, and calcium.
- Calories – Let’s face it, the reason why a lot of people are working out is that they are trying to burn calories to lose weight. However, the number of calories we burn during training depends on the intensity, length, and our bodies, too. Not everyone can lose the same amount of calories in a 1km run. Generally speaking, the heavier you are, the easier it is for you to burn calories when doing a particular activity.
- Muscle Fiber – The rest of us who are training also want to build muscle. But before we can do that, we need to repeatedly tear our muscles and allow them to heal. Thus, we try to schedule a proper training and recovery regimen to facilitate the changes in our bodies.
What You Need to Do
To avoid dehydration, it is still important to get enough water in even before working out. This is an important step for anyone who wants to improve their overall health, whether or not you’re trying to get lean or you want to bulk up. Dehydration is not a simple lack of water in your body, but a serious issue that makes it more difficult for you to function, let alone workout. Plus, if it becomes worse, it can lead to even more serious illnesses, too.
One thing you should note is that our water needs differ from person to person. This means that the generic 8-10 glasses of water doesn’t actually quite cut it. The U.S. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine said that the number is a bit higher than what we thought. According to them, a typical adult male needs about 15 and a half cups or 3.7 liters of water a day. While females need as much as 11.5 cups or 2.7 liters of water daily.
Aside from making sure that your water intake is sufficient, you also need to supplement your fluid intake to replenish the lost vitamins, minerals, and electrolytes you do lose when working out. To do this, you can either opt for your favorite and legitimate sports drinks.
Or you could also choose a healthier option by drinking green juice instead. In fact, green juice does more than just satiate your thirst. It also aids digestion, gives you more energy when working out, and helps you sleep better at night.
Now that you know that it takes a whole lot more than just water to quench your thirst, do better and start optimizing your workouts by choosing drinks that could replenish not just lost water, but also lost vitamins, minerals, and electrolytes, too. Do yourself a favor and don’t skimp on what’s right.
