Learn: Water is obviously very important for keeping us hydrated. Not only do we want our bodies hydrated but our muscles hydrated as well. Some of the main functions of water include:
dissolves/transports substances
used in chemical reactions in the body
lubricates tissues
regulates our temperature
As athletes, temperature regulation is very important, especially for athletes who play outdoor sports. Exercise excluded, we should be consuming roughly half our bodyweight in ounces of water.
For example: A person who weighs 150lbs should be consuming at least 75 ounces of water daily.
Adding exercise to the equation means more water needs to be consumed. An athlete training/sweating for one hour needs an additional 16-32oz. of water. An athlete training >2 hours needs an additional 20oz. per hour of exercise. If the exercise is very intense, the athlete may need some additional carbs with that as well such as gatorade or another sports drink.
Continuing with the previous example: say that 150lb athlete trains for two hours, she would need an additional 40oz. of water for that day: 75oz. + 40oz. = 105oz. daily total
The amount of carbohydrates you consume also effects how much water you hold. If you are not eating enough carbs, you may suffer more from dehydration.
Exercise 5: Look back at your water intake in your journal. Did you consume half your bodyweight in ounces? Sports drinks can count towards the 'extra' during training but you should aim for at least half your bodyweight in purely water.
If you are someone who does not enjoy drinking water try adding lemon or some other fruit, drinking bubbly water like La Croix, or adding natural flavoring to spice it up a bit!