Top Ten Sports Nutrition Tips to Level up Your Game. TIP #5
Did you know that as soon as your body is slightly dehydrated overall pace and endurance are drastically diminished. As an athlete I'm sure you bring a water bottle to practice and to a game... but do you stay hydrated throughout the day? Do you think about your hydration? Do yo think of it everyday? Even on non-training days?
Staying hydrated on a daily basis (not just during training sessions, workouts and competitions) is crucial to your success as an athlete. Doing so will ensure that you have a strong practice, have ample energy during competitions and will increase your energy throughout the day-no matter what you are doing. Hydration is also paramount to optimal recovery. Your body needs adequate fluid to perform AND recover! This will ensure that you can hit each session just as hard day after day after day.
How do you monitor and measure hydration? There are a few ways to do this:
1- Ask yourself if you're thirsty. This is a method used by many, although it is not my favorite way to monitor hydration because by the time you are thirsty you are already dehydrated. It is difficult to catch up once you fall behind.
2- Monitor your Urine output. I hear you giggling already. But it works! Get used to peeking in the toilet after you go. This chart will help get you started with this method. Check out this urine output chart to monitor how hydrated you are on a daily basis:
3- Weight fluctuations. Weighing yourself before and after training sessions, workouts and games will help you to understand your sweat rate during different circumstances. It's arguably the best way to monitor hydration as an athlete. A sports dietitian can help you navigate the specifics of this process as it has many moving parts such as weather, humidity, altitude, electrolyte consumption, what equipment you are wearing, duration of activity, intensity of activity etc...
The bottom line here is to be aware of hydration as a factor in your overall performance. Stay on top of it throughout each day and you will reap the benefits and elevate your game!
Cheers! 💦
-Jenn
