April is finally here. Hooray! The weather here in Chicago can’t seem to decide whether it wants to be Spring or Summer (or Winter, for that matter). But at this point, one thing is for certain: your body is adjusting to the change in season. Headache, sniffles, sore throat, anyone?
In addition to the aggressive allergies as of late, water secretion and depletion becomes more aggressive, as well. Finding yourself sweating “sparkling” just a little more than you were in February or amping up your warmer body with tougher workouts? Whether at the studio or outside, replenishing your body’s water supply is incredibly crucial… We all know this, but do we really make sure we’re drinking enough H2O?
Ideally, we need to evaluate our water consumption and act on the knowledge that we should hydrate before, during, and after activity. While drinking water continuously throughout an hour-long workout may not be necessary (and is sometimes not even recommended), staying plentifully hydrated afterward and, especially, before a workout can be crucial to keeping a hydrated body. For athletes, dancers, or anyone else engaging in vigorous, extended workouts, staying hydrated during activity is even more important, though in the case of a longer sweat session you may need a little extra push as you continue to sweat it out. This is where sports drinks with electrolytes make their entrance. As you heavily sweat out water and sodium during exercise, water alone may not replace what your body needs to stay balanced in warm and intense activity. Sports drinks aren’t just talk, but do contain the sodium that is needed to keep you going. But do you research because not all sports drinks are created equally. Watch out for insanely high amounts of sugar that may counteract the benefits of drinking it in the first place. I’ll bookend this sentiment with a final thought: start with water, see how you feel from there. =)
Let’s rejoice in the fact that we are lucky to have clean drinking water available whenever we want it! It’s the purest and best thing you can put in your body and every part of your body, from your skin to your brain, will thank you for it. An easy and painless to avoid those post workout headaches, fatigue, and the premature frustration with the heat in regards to your workout by staying hydrated through the spring and summer months!
You must log in to post a comment.