When summer sets in, people are advised to drink lots of water to stay hydrated. Athletes who engage in outdoor activities must always have a bottle of water. You should understand that your body needs to maintain an adequate temperature to function efficiently. Aside from drinking water, eating certain foods can also help supply your body with the necessary fluids.
Fruits and Vegetables
Many veggies and fruits are packed with water, so you get a fluid boost when you consume them. Besides, the high water content of these foods is the reason their calorie content is next to nothing. While most fruits and veggies are high in water content, some perform better in hydrating your body. Most nutritionists agree that cucumbers, lettuce, berries, melons, and celery perform best in this regard. However, consuming foods like milk, yogurt, and chocolate milk can also help replenish lost fluids in the body.
These foods require little or no preparation. If you choose to cook them, remember that the cooking process may reduce their water content. Therefore, eating your veggies and fruits raw is the best way to get the most water out of them. Nevertheless, if you cannot stand eating raw food, remember to drink sufficient water while eating.
Replenishing Lost Electrolytes
Water is always the finest option for replenishing lost fluids. Still, you cannot depend entirely on drinking water to stay hydrated if you are a sportsperson. During regular training, your body loses electrolytes like sodium and potassium, critical hydration elements. Apart from water, nutritionists recommend that athletes drink sports drinks, bars, or gels to maintain proper hydration while exercising.
Staying adequately hydrated is essential not only during summer but in all seasons. So, whether winter, spring, summer, rain, or shine, you should drink sufficient water and eat high-water-content foods. Sports drinks should also be an essential part of your diet. This is because these will help refill the minerals and vitamins your body loses during workout sessions.
Remember that an individual’s fluid requirements depend on several factors and differ from person to person. To determine the amount of replacement fluid your body needs, you must measure your sweat rate. You can achieve this by getting on a scale before and after physical activity.
Alcohol and Hydration
Certain foods cause your body to lose water, and alcohol is one of them. Most nutritionists consider alcohol to be the most dehydrating beverage of all. Being a diuretic, alcohol speeds up sodium excretion and urine flow out of the body. So, if you regularly consume alcohol, you should drink water after each drink to maintain adequate hydration levels.
Caffeine is a diuretic, but drinking this beverage does not impact your hydration levels like alcohol. This is because you also take in water while consuming this caffeinated drink. So, the water you consume makes up for the ones you excrete. Even so, nutritionists recommend drinking just about 400 milligrams of caffeine daily. This is because this beverage can cause you to sleep less, negatively impacting your body.
Lastly, remember that for your body to function efficiently, you must always keep it well-hydrated. So, whether it is a rest day or a workout day, ensure that your body gets all the fluids and electrolytes required.