Friday, May 7, 2010

Staying Hydrated in Activities Under 90 Minutes

But is water good enough or are there better options for sports hydration?

Activities Under 90 Minutes
When participating in any activity lasting 90 minutes or less, it's best to drink water. According to Wong, “Water is the best. If you’re not working hard enough or perspiring enough, then sports drinks are worthless. If you don’t need a sports drink, it’s just going to be extra calories.”

To ensure sports hydration:

Drink at least 8 to 16 ounces of water one to two hours before activity, but drink the last 8 ounces about twenty minutes before exercise.
During exercise, sip 4 to 6 ounces of water every 15 minutes.
Upon completion, enjoy another 8 to 16 ounces.

It's important not to consume massive amounts of water all at once during or immediately after exercise. During exercise, blood flow to the stomach is diverted to the muscles, which slows digestion.

It takes about 30 minutes after exercise has stopped for normal digestion to resume. Consuming too much water all at once can lead to a "water logged" feel, water sloshing around in the stomach, nausea and vomiting.




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