Drinking Water

Staying hydrated is vital to keeping your body temperature and electrolyte level balanced. When dehydrated, you can become fatigued, experience headaches, nausea, dizziness, heat illness and heat stroke.

How much water should you drink?

The old adage of 8 glasses a day is no longer true. Instead, think about how much you weigh and divide that number in half. That's how many ounces of water you should drink per day. For instance, a person who is 200 pounds, should drink 100 oz. of water per day to be adequately hydrated. (That's 12.5 glasses of water!) An athlete with a high level of muscle mass should drink even more, about two-thirds of their body weight in ounces per day.

Are you dehydrated?

The easiest way to tell is to look at the color of your urine. The clearer it is, the more hydrated you are. If your urine is gold or deep yellow, you need to drink more water.

Should you drink water while you exercise? And how do you prevent that sloshing feeling inside your stomach?

Yes, you should drink about 8 oz. every 15 minutes while exercising. If you drink smaller amounts (say 4 oz. at a time), you'll keep from getting that uncomfortable sloshing feeling, which often occurs when we get too thirsty and drink too much water at a time.

Water vs. sports drinks-which is better?

Sports drinks contain extra sugar and calories that can benefit a real endurance athlete (someone who is exercising for 4 hours or more) or someone in an extremely hot environment. Otherwise, water is always a better choice both physically and economically.

Bottled water-is it better for you?

Some bottled waters come from springs and some from metropolitan sources. It comes down to an individual's choice, which you prefer or whether you'd rather drink tap water. Just be sure to stay hydrated no matter which type of water you choose to drink.