At Glamour Girl Fitness, we’re all about encouraging families to get up, get active, and get healthy together. In the midst of this, though, you need to be thinking about your immediate health too. Especially during the summer, dehydration is a serious risk during any workout.
The answer to this problem is simple planning. Use these tips to keep your entire family hydrated during your family workouts this summer.
Prepare in Advance
When most people think about hydrating for exercise, they think about drinking water during and after their workout. The problem with that is that most people aren’t drinking as much water as they need in the first place, so you might be starting your workout with mild dehydration already.
To truly keep your water level up, start drinking more water long before your workout. The American Council on Exercise recommends that adults drink 17-20 ounces of water two to three hours before they exercise. They recommend an additional eight ounces of water about half an hour before you work out. Kids don’t need as much water, of course, but they should follow a similar schedule.
Learn the Signs of Dehydration
Dehydration can be sneaky, but it does have symptoms. A headache, dizziness, skin inflammation or irritation, and muscle cramps can all be signs of dehydration.
As you exercise, keep an eye out for these symptoms in yourself and your kids. Teach your kids about the signs of dehydration too and tell them to let you know if they start having any symptoms.
Find Ways to Stay Cool
A key reason you get dehydrated when you work out is that you’re sweating out so much of the water that your body has been holding. We sweat far more during the heat of summer, so if you can find ways to stay cooler during your workout, you’ll sweat less and will be less likely to become dehydrated.
There are plenty of ways to do this. You could exercise indoors in an air-conditioned space. If you prefer the outdoors, plan your workout for a cooler time of the day like early morning or early evening. Or find a place in the shade to exercise.
Cut Down on Hydration-Harming Drinks
We all know water is the most effective drink for hydration, but did you know that some drinks can actually go the opposite direction and make you less hydrated? Beverages that contain sugar, caffeine, alcohol, or high amounts of sodium can all pull water out of your body tissue, leading to dehydration. It’s a good idea to minimize these drinks in your diet overall, but it’s especially important to avoid them in the hours before and after you work out.
Summer is supposed to be a time to have fun with your family, and you can use the opportunity to incorporate healthy workouts with the family too. The tips above can help you do all of that without risking dehydration in the process. For more family fitness tips like our Fit Tip Fridays, follow us on Instagram or learn more about our Mommy and Me fitness program.