It's #NationalHydrationDay! Staying hydrated is incredibly important, especially during exercise.
I wanted to share some experiences I've had as a result of dehydration. Hopefully, I can make suggestions that have helped me stay healthy and hydrated, so you can avoid what happened to me in the past.
When we exercise, we sweat to maintain a healthy body temperature. The problem is if we sweat a lot and don't replenish fluids, we can throw off our fluid levels in our body. It is so important to replenish electrolytes and salt in our body if we are exercising in the heat of summer especially.
I have been swimming and running since age six, most of the years competitively. I have experienced dehydration episodes a few times unfortunately. A couple of times my legs became very tight when I finished a workout or competition and I wasn't able to stand for a few minutes. I even ended up in the hospital once because of dehydration after a competition.
I used to be so confused. I thought I was drinking enough water, but the problem was I was drinking too much water and not replacing with enough electrolytes and salt too. What I didn't know about hydration is that we need electrolytes in our body in order for our bodies to stay hydrated and healthy. There is such a thing as drinking too much water!
You wouldn't think that you sweat when your swimming, but you actually sweat a lot, especially during distance swimming. Always keep a water bottle near when swimming laps, for example. Always keep plenty of fluids within reach when running too.
I always have both a bottle of water and a bottle of something like NUUN nearby. NUUN is great because it has electrolytes and all you have to do is put a tablet in water and shake. I love the Fruit Punch flavor! Coconut water is great too for replenishing electrolytes. Pineapple or orange slices after a run are also great for recovery.
Stay hydrated safely!
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