GRIPAD ® Blog

Hydration: Comparing Water, Juice and Sports Drinks

When we push ourselves physically, we sweat and respire more vigorously, and the moisture we lose through these outlets must be replaced at a rate that keeps place with our activity level. Thirst is a simple indicator that we need moisture, but thirst doesn’t tell us everything about what we’ve lost, and sometimes thirst doesn’t activate at an intensity level that truly reflects our body’s needs. We’ve all had coaches, trainers, and summer camp counselors remind us that “just because you don’t feel thirsty doesn’t mean you’re hydrated”. By the same token, just because you’re drinking doesn’t mean your body is getting the hydration and replenishment it needs. So how much hydration is enough? And should that hydration come in the form of sports drinks, or is plain water enough?

Water or Sports Drinks?

A sedentary lifestyle requires between 6 and 8 glasses of water per day. This goes up as you begin to exercise and your sweat and respiration become more intense.

During moderate exercise lasting one hour or less, your muscles burn primarily fat as fuel. Fat converts to glucose which allows muscles to stay active. After a while, muscles start drawing glucose from other sources, and fat burning gives way to carbohydrate burning. At this point, your body doesn’t just need moisture to stay active, it also needs to replenish lost carbohydrates and electrolytes (mostly potassium and sodium).

So if your workout lasts for less than an hour, water is a free, clean, healthy, and perfectly adequate form of hydration. It’s unprocessed, it’s safe, and it contains no calories.

If your workout exceeds an hour and is especially intense, your performance will benefit from a few extra carbohydrates to replace the ones you’ve lost. So you’ll want to choose a drink with a little bit of extra sugar and salt. Commercial sports drinks are fine, but check the label, since some of these contain high fructose corn syrup, which is not what you need. You can also add a little splash of lemon juice and a pinch of sugar and salt to pure water to gain all the benefits of most sports drinks.

Adjusting Your Eating Habits to Maximize Your Workout

Getting and staying in shape requires dedication, patience, and a willingness to push the limits of your comfort zone. It also requires a few adjustments to your lifestyle that carry beyond the borders of the gym and the weight room. To get the most out of the time you spend weight training and working on your cardio health, you’ll also need to make sure you’re drinking plenty of water, getting adequate sleep and making wise decisions about healthy, balanced eating.

A healthy diet may represent a change from what you’re used to. But contrary to what fad diet proponents would have you believe, healthy eating isn’t terribly complicated. A few general basic tips can help keep you on track. First, green leafy vegetables are never a bad idea, and there’s no such thing as too many of them. We only have so much room in our stomachs each day, and the more you maximize vegetables as a component of your calorie intake, the healthier you’ll be.

But we can’t quite live on vegetables and fruit alone. We also need carbohydrates, proteins, and healthy fats. Find the best carbohydrates in whole grain breads and cereals, and get your protein from nuts, beans, eggs, and lean meats like fish and poultry. Try to keep your meat choices as lean as possible, since too much beef and pork can undermine the gains of an otherwise healthy diet. And make an effort to steer clear of sugary soft drinks, corn syrup and other calorie sources that offer energy but no nutritional value.

Balance your eating habits with your workout routine. Don’t skip breakfast, but if your workout goals include weight loss, recognize that you may feel hungry as you burn more calories during the day, and resist the urge to add those calories back into your routine by eating more.

Staying Hydrated During an Intense Workout

Summer is nearly over, and the weather is cooling. But we may still have a few hot days left, and even when the weather seems mild, it’s important to pay attention to how much moisture we’re losing during a workout. These fluids need to be replaced, or we can become dehydrated and our performance and progress can begin to slide. Many workout beginners are surprised or caught off guard by the broader signs of dehydration, during the summer months but also during weather that doesn’t feel especially hot. Dehydration doesn’t always bring feelings of thirst. It can also bring mild headaches, fatigue, irritability, and reduced performance at the gym.

When the weather is hot, make sure you pay active attention to how much fluid you take in. Don’t let thirst be your guide. Take a drink of water every ten minutes or so. And if your workout is intense and long (over two hours), choose electrolyte drinks instead of water. These can replace the salt and other minerals that are lost with sweat.

When you head the gym for your workout during the late summer and fall, bring comfortable breathable clothes, neoprene Gripads to protect your hands, a friend to keep you motivated and on track, and plenty of water or non-sugary sports drinks. Keep your source of hydration close and stop every ten or fifteen minutes to drink even if you don’t feel thirsty. Your skin and muscles will thank you, and your general sense of well-being will stay in top shape throughout your routine.

And remember that hydration is only one part of peak performance. You also need to eat well, maintain a balanced schedule, and get plenty of sleep. If you can stay on track, it won’t be long before you see positive results.