Staying hydrated isn’t necessarily a “weight loss” strategy, but it is important for overall health & longevity – especially when you are involved in a consistent exercise regime. And since 50-75% of the body is water, I feel obligated to mention it as one of my 10 best strategies for losing weight.
The average person loses about 2,500ml of water per day – without exercise. This is completely normal and necessary; water aids us in flushing toxins out of our bodies and promotes normal body functions. With heavy exercise, though, this figure can increase to 6 or 7 liters per day of water loss!
For these reasons, it is vital that your fluid losses are replaced constantly during the day. This is usually accomplished through a combination of:
- Beverages (preferably not sugary juices or soda)
- Food (many fruits and vegetables are a surprisingly great source of water)
- Metabolic reactions (these take place at the cellular level; water is a natural byproduct)
It is especially important to hydrate before, during, and after your workouts, as this is where you lose a lot of fluids through perspiration. The Aerobics and Fitness Association of America (AFAA) recommends consuming eight to ten ounces of water prior to exercise, three to four ounces every 20 minutes during exercise, and about 16 ounces for every pound of weight lost as a result of exercise. Cool water is best because it can be absorbed more quickly from the stomach than warm water can. Remember, if you wait until you feel thirsty you are already slightly dehydrated. So make sure to drink throughout the day!
Did You Know? The reason you sweat when you exercise is to minimize the natural increase in your core temperature. As you exercise, the work being done by your muscles, joints, neurons, etc. creates a large amount of heat energy. The process of sweating expels water from inside your body to your surface area where it evaporates into the air and cools your skin. If you were unable to dissipate that heat energy by the evaporation of sweat, your body would overheat. Drinking water during your workout can also help to minimize the increase in your core temperature.
Exercising in a hot, humid environment can be dangerous for these same reasons. The already saturated air would make evaporation of your sweat extremely difficult, and you wouldn’t be able to cool your escalating core temperature.
For more on weight loss, try “10 Ways to Make Weight Loss Work for You.”
Resources:
Gladwin, Laura A., ed. Fitness Theory & Practice, 4th ed. Sherman Oaks, CA: The Aerobics and Fitness Association of America, 2002.
Powers, Scott K., and Edward T. Howley. Exercise Physiology, 3rd ed. Guilford, CT: Brown & Benchmark Publishers, 1997.
