Hydration Hack

Our typical customers, the “ultra-sweaters”, need to pay extra attention to the other side of the equation, hydration. If we are prodigiously sweating away half a gallon to a gallon an hour, we know we need to be adding a like amount as we go, and replenishing lost minerals as well. Dehydration negatively affects both mental and physical performance.

Dehydration is defined as a water loss of 2% of your body weight, you do the math, it’s a good thing to know. You can find your sweat rate by weighing yourself nude before and after exercise (add the weight of the water you drank during your workout). For every pound you lose, drink 80 to 100 percent of that loss to stay in optimal fluid balance. By figuring out your sweat rate you can practice programmed drinking during exercise to minimize sweat losses.

As an ultra-sweater myself and a "past" consumer in this area, I know there are hundreds of hydration products on the market. Special formulas and exotic ingredients abound, all begging to be a part of the solution. But this is simple, folks. Is there even an incremental distinction, actually, from one to the next? In this light, I am going to make the case for hydration hacking. Keep it simple.

Replace what you lose, in proper proportion. The critical elements are of course water and minerals, specifically sodium. Potassium, calcium, magnesium, and other minerals are lost in very small amounts when you sweat, and can best be replaced through healthy food choices rather than hydration additives. Water alone is adequate for rehydration purposes when solid food is consumed, as this replaces the electrolytes lost in sweat. A small amount of carbohydrate (< 2%) may improve the rate of intestinal uptake of sodium and water.

Here are your recipes:

Plain:

One quart of water
1/8-1/4 teaspoon of plain natural salt
Flavoring may help you drink more

Plus:

One pint of water
One pint of pure plain fruit juice (adds carbs and flavor)
1/8-1/4 teaspoon of plain natural salt

Keep on sweating ~ Don’t forget your SweatHawg out there, to keep this happily balanced output from your eyes and glasses!