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 JULY 24, 2002 Thirsty? Here's What to Drink, How Much, and When When the weather heats up, so does your body when you're exercising outside. But by the time you feel thirsty, you could already be dehydrated. Fluid intake is important because you can suffer heat problems from inadequate fluid replacement. There's an easy way to determine your need for fluid replacement. First, weigh yourself before exercising. Then immediately afterward, weigh yourself again. Replace each pound of weight lost with three cups of water, a sports drink like Gatorade, or a combination of the two, mixing one part water with one part Gatorade. In this way you will be sure to replace lost fluids and won't get dehydrated. Even if you're mildly physically active, you may be at risk of dehydration, says Cindy Moore, MS, RD, director of nutrition therapy at The Cleveland Clinic Foundation. She suggests drinking 12 cups of fluid during a normal day and up to 40 cups if you are very physically active. For casual exercise of less than one hour, water alone is fine. Some people find sports drinks more palatable than water, which means you're more likely to drink more, she says. Here are some general fluid replacement guidelines: |
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