Water is the true MVP of your team. Whether you're running around on a broom stick or shooting hoops, you have to replenish the liquids you lose through your sweat. Water is often over looked because of it's lack of calories, staying hydrated is the key to fighting fatigue and prolonging your endurance. Check out these sports hydration tips for athletes to learn how to avoid dehydration during a game.
In order to make up for the fluid lost from sweating, make sure you're drinking the right amounts of water. That means before, during and after an activity. A good guideline is to drink 17-20 ounces of fluid two to three hours before activity. During exercise, you should aim to drink 7-10 ounces every 10-20 minutes to avoid dehydration. [Click to Tweet]
If you're going to be active for a longer than an hour, you will probably need to replace electrolytes. Electrolytes are the minerals that are found in sweat (sodium, magnesium, potassium, calcium). Sports drinks like Powerade and Gatorade will help replenish those minerals in your blood that regulate your body's water and increase glucose.
Looking for a healthier alternative? To super charge your water, try electrolyte powder or opt in for coconut water. You can even try to make your own. As a general rule of thumb, a good sports drink should provide around 14 grams of carbohydrates, 28 mg of potassium, and 100 mg of sodium per 8-ounce serving.
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You don't have to drink plain water to hydrate. Fruits and vegetables are a great way to stay hydrated throughout the day. Not only are they filled with nutrients, but they're high in water content. These foods have 90% of their weight in water: cucumbers, grapefruit, cantaloupe, tomatoes, watermelon, blueberries, strawberries, lettuce, spinach, zucchini.
Believe it or not, meat actually has a lot of water retained in it's proteins. Although 20-30% of that is lost during preparation, it can still help you achieve your daily hydration goal.
Play around with the taste of your water to make it more appetizing. You can simply add mint, cucumber or strawberries for a tasty change of pace.
Also referred to as skin turgor, you can check for dehydration by pinching the skin in the back of your hand for a few seconds and then releasing. If your skin does not rapidly return to it's normal shape, you may be dehydrated.
If you play sports, you should wear a mouthguard. But, wearing a bulky mouthguard can obstruct your ability to drink during the game.Our team of scientists put a lot of thought and effort into creating a thin mouthguard that allows you to stay hydrated during the game without any additonal risk of exposure. One of the key functions of perforations, is to allow you to drink easily without having to use dirty hands to remove the mouthguard. So, you can drink with SISU Guard in your mouth to stay hydrated during a game or practice.
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If you're planning on taking a mid-game bathroom break, that's a great opportunity to do a hydration check. The color of your urine will let you know if you need more fluids. If you're properly hydrated, your urine should be pale yellow.
Staying hydrated can take your game from good to great. It will give you the extra SISU you'll need to make it to the end. Next time you hit the field, court, pitch, rink or ring, keep these tips in mind and drink up.
