The best drinks to keep your body hydrated.
In Irish fashion news, we are going to look at the top drinks that will help keep your body hydrated. From boosting your mood to improving your strength, there are a lot of benefits to exercising regularly.
However, a tough workout can have you running low of water and essential nutrients such as electrolytes. The loss of both of these can leave you feeling dehydrated, tired and sore.
Luckily for you, there are plenty of drinks to take after your workout that replenish your body and aid in recovery. Keep on reading to find out the best drinks to keep you hydrated after a workout.
What It Means To Be Hydrated?
When it comes to the amount of water you need to drink, this depends on a number of factors. These could be the climate you are in, your overall health, the clothes you wear, how intensely you workout and how often.
So, keeping hydrated will look different from person to person. As a general guide, however, you might need more fluids if:
- You Sweat Heavily
- You Have Certain Medical Conditions Like Diabetes Or Heart Disease
- You Have Cystic Fibrosis. This Means That There Is A Higher Concentration Of Sodium In Your Sweat
- You Are Using Meds That Act As A Diuretic.
- You Have A Bigger Body Size
- You Are Fit – Fit People Tend To Sweat More And Earlier When Exercising
- You Are Partaking In Vigorous Exercise
- You Are Exercising In Hot Or Humid Conditions
You might think that thirst is the best indicator when it comes to dehydration. However, this is not the case. If you are feeling thirsty, you probably already are dehydrated.
A good way to find out if you are dehydrated is taking a look at your urine. If it is clear and pale, this means you are well hydrated. However, if it is dark in colour, you need to consume more fluids.
What Is Means To Be Dehydrated?
Dehydration occurs when the fluid content of your body is too low. And we have probably all experienced what it is like to feel dehydrated.
There are some common signals your body sends to let you know you need to take in more fluid. These are:
- Headaches
- Fatigue
- Changes In Mood
- Slow Reaction Times
- Dry Nasal Passages
- Cracked And Dry Lips
- Urine That Is Dark In Colour
- Weakness
- Muscles Cramps
- Confusion
- Sometimes Hallucinations
If you experience any of these symptoms, you need to take in more fluid. If you don’t, your performance is likely to be affected. When you need water, don’t hesitate to take it.
Sweat And Dehydration
When you are exercising, your body will sweat as it tries to return to its normal temperature. As the sweat evaporates from your skin, this not only removes heat but makes you lose body fluid.
In order to replace these fluids, you need to make sure you are drinking during and after your workout. This is important as you will reduce the risk of heat stress on your body, maintain normal body functions and your performance level. The general consensus is that, if you are sweating, you need to be drinking fluids.
However, it is possible for you to intake too much fluid after exercising. In rare but severe cases, over hydrating your body can lead to death.
To help you avoid over or under hydrating your body, you should know your sweat rate. And talk to a professional before starting an exercise plan. Especially if you have not worked out in a while.
How To Work Out Your Sweat Rate?
To figure out your sweat rate, there are some steps you can do: First, empty your bladder. Then, weigh yourself with minimal clothing, as close to the beginning of your exercise as possible.
This is known as your initial weight. Record your body temperature and do your workout. Take note of any fluid you take in during your workout.
Take note or estimate how much urine you lose from exercising. Finally, weigh yourself in the same clothing after finishing your workout. Just make sure to wipe off any excess sweat beforehand.
Your weight change during exercise, as well as any fluids consumed, and urine lost will reflect your total fluid loss.
Remember that this is your sweat rate when working out at a particular temperature. This changes as your temperature does, so you might need to measure your sweat rate at different times of your year.
Water
This one might sound obvious. But if you are feeling tired and thirsty after your workout, water is your best bet to replenish you. And if you think about it, it makes sense.
Every cell, tissue and organ in your body uses water to function. Your body will pull in water from your food and fluids you drink in order to manage your temperature, remove waste and lubricate your joints.
So, if you are looking for the fastest way to rehydrate yourself after working out, water is the way to go. And you do not have to reach for something fancy. Plain and clear water works best.
Electrolyte Drinks
You have probably heard of electrolytes. But if you do not know what exactly they are, we’ll tell you. Electrolytes are minerals that your body needs in order to function and include sodium, magnesium, chloride and calcium.
When you workout intensely, and therefore sweat, you can be drained of all of these nutrients. This results in an electrolyte imbalance, which leaves you tired, run down and dehydrated.
What’s the solution? You need to restore these electrolytes you’ve lost with the help of an electrolyte-packed beverage. As sports drinks are the most common option, we advise that you stick to the low sugar ones as they will rehydrate you more effectively.
Coconut Water
If you love water and its hydrating properties but need to shake things up once in a while, go with coconut water instead.
As it is a natural source of electrolytes such as potassium, sodium and magnesium, coconut water is a great pick for helping you replenish minerals after your sweaty workout. And it also contains natural sugars, which can help you to restore your energy levels after your tiring sesh at the gym.
Unsweetened Decaffeinated Tea
Although water is a powerhouse of a liquid and has many benefits, there are times when it gets a little boring. However, there are also times when a sports drink can be a bit too much.
So, why not settle somewhere in the middle with a hydrating glass of tea? This concoction is rich in antioxidants that can support hydration, muscle recovery and your overall health.
We do recommend that you stick to fruit flavours, ginger, mint, chamomile or decaf green teas. And we are going to emphasise that you choose something decaf.
Caffeine can cause you to become further dehydrated, which is the last thing that your body needs. Especially after a tiring workout.
Chocolate Milk
Okay. Yes, a glass of chocolate milk might remind you of your primary school days. However, it can also be a great way for you to recover after working out and exercising. When it comes to refuelling after an intense workout, chocolate milk is a nutrition powerhouse.
And it brings along all of the beneficial components of your post-workout fuel. These are namely protein, carbohydrates, fluids and electrolytes.
These nutrients can help you to restore depleted energy levels, giving your body the sustenance needed to repair and support your muscles. It will also help your to re-energise your muscles that are stressed from exertion.
Vegetable Juice
If you have ever delved deep into the world of fitness, you will know that green juices are incredibly popular.
And, as vegetables are an essential part of keeping your body feeling and looking its best, it is not hard to see why green juices are a big part of people’s diet. They allow you to kill two birds with one stone by increasing your intake of veggies and fuelling your body.
And much like your smoothies that we’ll talk about in a minute, they are also easily customisable. When it comes to your green juice, you can throw in some leafy greens, beets, carrots and any other veggie you can think of.
They all will provide you with the vitamins, minerals and antioxidants needed to recover after your workout.
Smoothies
There are some of you out there that might not be feeling a beverage loaded with vegetables. And we hear you. So, why not cut it with some fruit instead?
Blend all of your favourite fruits and veg with liquid and a protein source of your choice. This could be coconut water as we’ve mentioned already.
Or it could be something like almond milk, protein powder or Greek yoghurt. The great thing about smoothies is that, not only do they keep you hydrated, but they are also easily customisable.
And they are an excellent option if you tend to lose your appetite after working out and exercising. Smoothies contain loads of nutrients that replenish your exhausted body and you do not have to prepare a whole meal. And a bonus point? They are delicious.
The best drinks to keep your body hydrated. Irish fashion news.
