The 3 Rs of Recovery Nutrition: Re-Hydration

At the finish line of the 2016 Nashville Rock ‘N Roll Half Marathon - Rehydrating!

Today’s recovery nutrition topic is timely as I just completed my longest training run for the Austin marathon and I definitely went in a bit dehydrated. Which is never a smart idea. Fortunately I got through it and am sitting here writing this with a big water bottle full of Nuun to help replace the fluids lost as well as the electrolytes that were lost in my sweat (and despite it being only about 14 degrees at the start - you better believe I still sweat!).

To talk about re-hydration following a workout, it’s also important to discuss what to do pre- and during your workout to stay adequately hydrated. One of the worst experiences I’ve ever had during a race (as well as many of the clients I work with) has been a consequence of being dehydrated. No matter how long your workout, you need adequate fluids before, during and after to prevent dehydration.

Making sure you are sufficiently hydrated can be one of the most significant factors contributing to getting you to the finish line feeling good.⁣ ⁣ Your goal? Start/finish adequately hydrated. How will you know you did a good job? Weigh yourself before/after. If you’ve lost weight, up your intake a bit next time. Weight loss of just 2% has been associated with decreases in performance. If you’ve gained weight – slow your roll! Weight gain may indicate excessive hydration which can lead to a life-threatening complication called hyponatremia or ‘low blood sodium’ which can cause bloating, nausea and in extreme cases brain seizure or even death. Those most at risk are smaller athletes and those running marathons in 4+ hours.⁣ ⁣

Another way to check your hydration status is to use the “pee test” – it’s gross but true – if the color of your urine is clear yellow – not too dark but also not too light – then you are likely adequately hydrated.⁣ ⁣

So how much?

Pre-workout: This is very specific to the individual and how much they sweat. I generally recommend aiming for 1.5-2 cups (12-16 oz) of water or sports drink at least 2 hours in advance of your activity. You can drink about 1 more cup (8 oz) 15-20 min before. Sip don’t chug to allow time to absorb/digest it. If you chug it down, you’ll likely find yourself peeing it all out shortly after or worse, a couple miles into your run.

During exercise: I recommend about a 1/2-3/4 cup (4-6 oz) every 15-20 minutes. That’s equivalent to a couple gulps every 15-20 minutes. If it’s hot or you are an excessive sweater you may benefit from more than this so it’s important to practice now and find that sweet hydration spot for you.⁣ ⁣

A quick note about sports drinks: the carbohydrate in most sports drinks helps to increase the water absorption. They also typically contain added electrolytes (sodium/potassium) which are lost in the sweat – so it’s important we replace those as well. I generally recommend the addition of a sports drink with electrolytes for anyone working out for longer than 1 hour and/or during exercise in the heat. I suggest alternating between water and sports drink and if taking any solid nutrition - like gels, gus, bloks, etc. - to take those with water only to not overload your stomach.

Following exercise: Drink roughly 2.5 to 3 cups (20 to 24 ounces) of water after your workout for every pound of weight you lose during the workout. If you’ve had a particularly long or sweaty run, you might benefit from a sports drink that contains some sodium and other electrolytes to help restore balance. The presence of sodium helps the body retain the ingested fluids.

Struggling with your hydration and not sure how much you need? Let me know and we can see if I might be able to help.