9 Ways To Stay Hydrated During Intense Workouts

Ready to crush those intense workout sessions? Absolutely! Staying hydrated during intense workouts can be challenging, but chugging a bunch of water after leaving sweat puddles in your wake, isn’t it.

Let’s get down to the nitty-gritty of hydration and the 10 top ways to stay hydrated during intense workouts–trust me, your muscles will thank me later.

Hydrating Before And During a Workout

Hydration isn’t just grabbing that bottle of water after you’ve already completed your HIIT session. It would be best if you were getting hydrated before you even start. About two hours prior, make sure to get your water intake going. There are no exact numbers to this because it depends on how much you sweat and other personal factors.

This will help you replace what you’ve lost while getting your sweat on without upsetting your stomach.

Take Frequent Sips, No Chugging

Chugging water before, during, or after a workout is a recipe for an upset or uncomfortable stomach. This is why you should aim for frequent sips before, during, and after your workout. This is also a reminder that overdoing it with the water is possible. Although not common, hyponatremia can occur.

This is a condition where the blood becomes too diluted, and the sodium levels in your blood drop too low, causing the need for medical attention.

Try Electrolytes

What if I told you you could boost your plain water to fill it with all the stuff your body sweats out during and after a workout? Electrolytes effectively aid in preventing your body from the effects of dehydration.

When you sweat, you lose more than just water; you also lose minerals your body needs. You can quickly add back in what you have lost with electrolyte drinks or powders.

Drink a Fruit and Veggie Smoothie

Ok, that workout was a little more intense than you anticipated and needed more than just water; why not try a fruit and veggie smoothie? Feeding your body with other nutrients found in fresh produce can help you feel better post-workout.

Add bananas or other potassium-rich foods to allow your body to rehydrate quicker and feed those sore muscles.

Coconut Water

Not only is coconut water delicious, but it offers much more hydration than plain water. This is because it is filled with potassium, magnesium, and calcium–all your body loses during an intense workout. Not everyone loves coconut water, but if you want the benefits without the taste, add it to your favorite smoothie for all the benefits without the intense flavor.

Snack on High Water Content Foods

One way to keep hydrated all day is to get some water-rich food into your diet. Produce such as watermelon, cucumbers, peppers, and strawberries are rich in vital nutrients and have a high water content. So not only are you making healthy snack choices but keeping yourself fully hydrated as well! Foods like this can also help curb appetite, so if your goal is weight loss, this is sure to help.

Set a Timer

If you’re finding it difficult to remember to drink water, set a timer! That way, you can get a quick reminder when it’s time to grab a drink. We are all super busy in our daily lives. With work, home, children, and family, it’s sometimes hard to remember the most basic self-care! But thankfully, with the help of your phone, a few quick reminders throughout the day will get the job done.

Always Carry A Water Bottle

No, it doesn’t need to be the new Stanley Cups everyone is bragging about, either. Find a nice quality water bottle and keep it by your side. This will remind you to stay hydrated throughout the day–even if that intense workout got pushed back until later. You can even purchase water bottles with the ounces labeled on the sides to know how much you consume during that day and if you are right on track or need more hydration action.

Juices

We aren’t talking about your toddler’s favorite apple juice, either. Fruits and veggies are packed with great nutrients that can heal our bodies after an intense workout and significantly boost hydration. It’s as if you combine all the above electrolytes, calcium, magnesium, and so much more into one healing and good-tasting drink. You can visit a local juice bar or juice some of your favorites at home.