—Thirsty

Water is the best option for most exercisers. Your body depends on water to sustain chemical reactions and to maintain correct body temperature. Sweating during exercise depletes your body's water supply and can lead to dehydration if fluids aren't replaced. In addition, drinking water before and during exercise can enhance your athletic performance. Individuals who exercise for 60 - 90 minutes or less can depend on water to be the best thing to drink.

However, several factors other than exercise duration can play a role in your fluid needs for exercise. How much and what you need to drink before, during, and after exercise also has to do with your body size, your hydration level, your sweat rate, and how much your stomach can comfortably handle. It sounds overwhelming, but it's not.

• A larger person (i.e., a football player) needs more fluids than a smaller person (i.e., a gymnast).
• If you are dehydrated before a workout or at risk for becoming dehydrated during a workout (because it's hot and/or you're participating in a high-intensity endurance workout, such as a marathon, triathlon, or hockey game), you will need to be more mindful of what you drink. Thirst alone is not a good indicator of how much you need to drink, because your thirst is quickly depressed by drinking very small amounts of water, and once you notice thirst, you are already dehydrated. An easy way to check your hydration level is to notice the color of your urine. If your urine is a dark, orange color, you are probably fairly dehydrated. Ideally, a hydrated body excretes clear-colored (or as close to as possible) urine.
• Knowing your sweat rate can help you figure out optimal drinking strategies. To determine this, weigh yourself without any clothes on before a 1-hour workout, then again afterwards without clothes (try not to drink much during the workout). Subtract your ending weight from your starting weight:
  • If you lose 1 lb. per hour: drink 4 ounces every 15 minutes
  • If you lose 2 lbs. per hour: drink 8 oz. every 15 min.
  • If you lose 3 lbs. per hour: drink 8 oz. every 10 min.
  • If you lose 4 lbs. per hour: drink 10 oz. every 10 min.

If you are an endurance athlete and workout for longer periods of time (several hours), you may want to opt for a sports drink to fuel your muscles and replace electrolytes (such as salt) that are lost in sweat. As well, if you do not like the taste of water, sports drinks and other fluids will serve you well. Juices, smoothies, lemonade, and milk are a few water alternatives.

As for afterwards, here are some tips for replacing your fluids lost during exercise:

• Drink about 8 ounces of water or other fluid (more in hot weather) for every 30 minutes of heavy exercise. Bring a water bottle with you when you exercise so that you can replace your fluids while they're being depleted.
• Drink cool water/fluids (40 - 50 degrees Fahrenheit) as it is more quickly absorbed by your body than warmer water, and it is less likely to cause cramps.
• Avoid drinks that contain caffeine, which are diuretics that increase dehydration. They can also cause the jitters and shakes.
• Steer clear of alcohol, also a diuretic. In addition, it is a poor energy source, and can depress the heart and nervous system. (Obviously, alcohol also hampers your coordination and impairs performance.)
• Again, check the color of your urine for hydration status. Pay attention to how you feel, as well. If you are tired, dizzy, have a headache, or experience cramping, you are dehydrated.

Many of the energy drinks available on the market are unnecessary for the average 60 minute workout (see High carb snack good after lifting? for information on carbohydrate drinks for exercise over LONG PERIODS OF TIME). Advertisements would like us to believe that a great deal of sodium and potassium is lost through regular exercise. This is not true for a normal or average workout, such as an aerobics class.

So the "best" thing to drink is the one that Mother Nature supplies... water.

Alice

Related Q&As

Side-Stitch Prevention?

Dizzy after exercise

Is it safe for children to drink sports beverages regularly, even when they're not exercising strenuously?

Does caffeine affect athletic performance?

High carb snack good after lifting?

Muscle cramps

Half-time snack for second half boost?

How soon after eating should workouts begin?