Water and Hydration in Exercise and Running for Fitness

Dehydration while exercising is one of the problems which occurs if you do not drink enough water during exercise or training. The human body is made up of over 75% of water, and as we all know, we cannot live without water.

Your own personal need for water can vary greatly due to exercise, weight, and temperature. Research has proven that over 2/3 of adults don't get the water they need on a daily basis. By drinking water on a regular basis you can replenish your body and keep it well hydrated and functioning as it should be. This is especially important during exercise and training, when we lose water as sweat.

Preventing Dehydration During Exercise

A majority of us wait until we are thirsty before we drink water. Thirst isn't always a reliable gauge of the water needs for the body. By the time you are thirsty you have already lost two of more cups of the body's water supply. Therefore, drinking water regularly is much better than simply waiting until you are thirsty. When exercising or running, it is important to predict the water loss, or dehydration, and drink water before, during and after exercise and training.

Have a bottle of water with you when training or exercising and sip it frequently. Avoid dehydrating and then drinking large volumes of water at once, as your body will not be able to absorb it quickly enough and much will pass straight through. It is better if you take on water graduall.

Weight Loss Through Loss of Water and Dehydration

Exercising increases your demand for water. Due to perspiration, your body will lose quite a bit of water. For each pound lost due to exercise, you need to drink 2 cups of water. If you are exercising for weight loss, as opposed to general fitness improvement, there is a tendency to see this loss of water through sweat or perspiration as contributing to overall weight loss. This weight loss is only temporary, and will be regained as you drink fluids again. Do not confuse weight loss through perspiration and sweating with the weight loss you experience when you burn fat. There may be a link in that you are generally burning more fat while you are sweating, but one doesn't cause the other. It is the exercise that causes both.

Importance of Drinking Water in Normal Life

Even when you lay down to sleep, your body loses water. By drinking a glass or more of water before you go to sleep, you can wake up with your body functioning as it should be. It is very important that you don't substitute beverages containing alcohol and caffeine for water. The reason behind this is that those types of beverages act as a diuretic and can cause you to lose water through increased urination. They cause dehydration. You may think you are taking in water through these beverages, but the fact is that you are letting it go almost as fast as you consume it. As with exercise and training, predict the water loss and drink water in addition to the caffeine and alcohol.

It should become more obvious that when you are sick you'll need more water than any other tine. When you get a cold or the flu, your body can become dehydrated quite quickly. You can help to prevent this by drinking more water at times when you become sick.

There are several mixed opinions as to whether purified water will actually provide benefit. Some say that spring water has added minerals, while others suggest there is actually a higher level of bacteria present. You may be influenced by the quality of the tap water in your local area which may be quite saline, leaving you with little choice but to drink bottled water. When buying bottled water, check the 'sell by' date, and don't store it for a long time. Keep it in a fridge until needed.

Always make it a habit to drink water on a daily basis. You should keep a bottle of water with you at all times and drink it throughout the day. You should also teach yourself to drink water instead of other beverages that don't replenish the nutrients your body needs. If you get into the habit of drinking water, your body will benefit a lot.