Eat Weight Off | Lose 10 to 15 Pounds Weekly

Running in the good old days used to be uncomplicated and elementary. Some people remember runners before going out running with nothing with them. Once finished the run, they simply come back and drink water . 

Drinking (or hydration) was not such a big deal before.

Today, there are some runners who carry their own water and adequate gadgets to monitor their exact intake during a run or a race.

Hydration and dehydration

Of course, we all now know how important water is when it comes to straining exercises like interval training running. You want to make sure that when drinking water that you ingest too little or too much . 

Severe dehydration (loss of water) and over-hydration both cause serious consequences on the body, including death. Knowing the difference is sometimes hard because the symptoms are the same.

Similar symptoms

In dehydration, the symptoms include weight loss, lethargy, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, confusion and dry mouth or lips. Over-hydration includes weight gain or swelling, headache, nausea, lethargy and confusion or disorientation.

Unfortunately, these symptoms are only noticed once they’ve reached their advanced state . Even medical personnel can be hard put in figuring out what exactly is happening. (This usually happens after a hard race.)

Fluid needs

Knowing how much fluid you need can prevent either dehydration or over-hydration . One way of knowing is that your performance will decrease significantly if you are dehydrated by as little as 1%.

Your running slows down by about 2% if you are dehydrated by only 1%. Hydration is not only important for your performance but also for your health . As a runner, you need to know how much you need to hydrate yourself daily, and in the critical times of before, during and after running or a race.

One formula given by experts to calculate your daily fluid needs is as follows: multiply your weight (in pounds) by 0.55 to know how many ounces of fluid you need every day.

Hydrating fluids

The hydrating beverages include water , sports drinks, tea, decaf coffee, low fat milk, yogurt drinks, juices, soda and soups or other foods with water.
The best source for body hydration is water . Intake of beverages with sugar and other additives should be limited, especially if you are trying to lose body fat.
One liquid that can significantly dehydrate you is alcohol . It is a total no-no to drink before races, or even the night before any race.

Your needs

After your daily fluid intake, you need to know how much you need before, during and after exercise (like running) to achieve optimum performance. Before any exercise, most people need 8 to 16 ounces of fluid 1 to 2 hours beforehand .

During exercise, your fluid needs depend on the rate you perspire which is different from person to person or the weather. 

The best estimate is to take 4 to 8 ounces of water every 15 to 20 minutes and weighing yourself before and after exercise. This is to check if you are losing or gaining weight, and adjusting your intake the next time.

Your body may need more fluid than normal depending on the intensity of your exercise . Listen to what it says.