Drink Up: Tips for Staying Hydrated and Healthy on World Water Day

World Water Day is approaching and it is a great opportunity to examine what an important role water plays in our day-to-day lives. If you’re enthusiastic about your fitness, know that water plays an important role in your journey.  Clean, fresh water is your best pal at gyms and fitness centres as it keeps you hydrated and cool.

World Water Day

World Water Day is an international observance day propagated by the United Nations to highlight the importance and accessibility of fresh water. It is observed on 22nd March every year. The main objective of international water day is to make people aware of water-related problems like water sanitation and hygiene, water scarcity, water wastage, and methods of actively preventing these issues.  

This World Water Day, let’s understand the importance of adequate hydration during your fitness routine.

Importance of Water During Workouts

Water is a life-giving substance because it is at the crux of all major operations in the body. Without water, the body simply fails to function. Let’s look at some of the functions of water within the context of exercising and fitness.

• It Regulates Body Temperature

Working out makes your heart beat faster, and increases circulation, thus, your body temperature starts rising. But herein, the water in your body works its magic and you start sweating, which cools your body. During a workout, it’s important that your body stays cool and it is water that maintains that.

• It Carries Oxygen to Your Muscles

Your muscles are constantly contracting and expanding during a workout. The muscles need oxygen and nutrients to keep working. Drinking enough water allows your blood to carry nutrients and oxygen more efficiently to the muscles.

• Prevents Dehydration

Working out releases a lot of sweat and you end up losing water. Drinking water prevents dehydration by restoring the water balance in the body.

Should One Drink Water During Workouts?

Whether one should drink water during a workout is a question that always arises in a fitness enthusiast’s mind. The simple answer is yes, you should keep drinking water during workouts in order to restore the water lost during sweating.

But some people feel drinking excessive water may make you feel heavy and unable to work out efficiently. The important thing is you should drink just the right amount of water to remain hydrated and prevent bloating.

How Much Water Should You Drink During Exercise?

Now that we know that we have to drink water during exercise, the next question is how much?
The key here is to only drink water to restore the water lost during sweat. Any less may cause dehydration and any more may be excessive. The best way to find out how much you need is by weighing yourself before and after your workout. Water loss reduces your weight, and we can deduce how much water was lost. 

Weigh yourself before a workout and do the same after. If the difference is more than 2% of your initial weight, you’re losing more water than you’re drinking and must increase the amount during exercise. 

Here’s a short basic guide for water intake during exercise as recommended by the American Council on Exercise. This may not be precisely what you need, but you can start with this guide and adjust by using the weight method above.

• 2 hours before the workout: Drink 500 ml water
• 30 minutes before workout: Drink 250 ml water
• Every 20 minutes during the workout: Drink 200 ml water
• Drink 500 ml water for every pound lost during the workout by weight

If you want to calculate exactly how much water your body needs during exercise, then sign up for a FITPASS membership. With our FITFEAST service, you get access to a personal nutritionist who’ll not only recommend the best diet plans for your fitness but also give their expert guidance on your water intake during workouts.