Hydrating: In the Heat and All the Time!

As of last week, the weather here in Connecticut is officially summer weather.  Hot, humid, sunny, sticky, nasty...  I know I shouldn't be complaining because we had such a brutal winter, but, I really hate the humidity.  Anyway, the weather change has brought up the issue of hydrating before/during/after runs.  It's important to hydrate all the time, not only when it's hot.  Dehydration can be mild to severe, and in severe cases, life-threatening.  It's not a matter to be taken lightly, especially with summer upon us!
Disclaimer: I am not a doctor or registered dietitian. I do not claim to cure any cause, condition or disease. I do not provide medical aid or nutrition for the purpose of health or disease and claim to be a doctor or dietitian.

Dehydration is simply when your body does not have enough fluids as it should.  Signs of dehydration include, but are not limited to: dizziness, dry lips/mouth/skin, fatigue: mental and physical, darkened urine, lightheadedness, and increased heart rate.  I've always heard that if you feel thirsty, you're already dehydrated.  Therefore, even when you don't feel thirst, you should be consuming fluids to prevent future dehydration.  However, there is also a condition called Hyponatremia, which is over-hydration. This occurs when you drink too much fluid or hydrate with only water, which can flush electrolytes from the body.  Symptoms of Hyponatremia include, but are not limited to: headache, confusion, nausea, fatigue, and muscle weakness.

A general rule of thumb for staying accurately hydrated on a daily basis is to consume 1/2 of your body weight (in pounds) in ounces of fluids.  Example: if you weigh 140 lb.s, you should be consuming around 70 ounces of fluid per day.  This does NOT include if you are exercising!  If you're outside running for an hour and sweating profusely, you must consume more fluids to compensate!  If you want to get really technical, you should calculate your sweat rate.  A simple step by step guide is listed here on the Runner's World website.

Hydrating during runs is also important.  If your run is less than one hour, you can consume water if you like.  Anything over one hour it is necessary to consume fluids.  4-6 ounces of fluids every 20 minutes is recommended (starting after an hour).  Water, electrolyte water, sports drinks... these are all options for hydrating during runs.  It's key to plan how/when you're going to drink during long runs.  You can use a belt with water bottle holder, bring money to purchase a water bottle along your run, plan your route to include passing by your house to refill water, or plant water bottles/sports drinks along your route before you start.  For me, when I get to the point of longer runs, I plan to drop waters/sports drinks off at my friend's houses along my routes.  I don't think a water bottle belt is the best option for me, as I like to have minimal weight added during running.  

**Other than sports drinks and regular water, I LOVE infused water (so does my sister!)  My favorite is just adding cucumbers and mint to a mason jar of filtered tap water.  I'm going to try infusing strawberries and oranges into water this weekend!  Other than remaining super hydrated this weekend, I'll be getting in two runs: my "long" 5 mile run on Saturday, and 3 miles on Sunday.  I'm in search of a good 5 mile route around my neighborhood, so I'll probably drive around and map out some courses later today.

Delicious cuke infused water YUM!

Random Friday Photos:

OBSESSED with this quote... Beyonce kills it all day errrrday

My Friday lunchbox. Not pictured: 24 OZ fruit smoothie for breakfast!

One of my weekday running outfits..  Runner's World started a new series #RUNootd on Instagram/Twitter!

How do you stay hydrated? 
-By drinking at least 1 gallon of water every day (more if it's a running day)

Do you make infused waters? Please tell me your favorite combination:


What are you up to this weekend?  How many miles will you be running this weekend?
-A 6 year old's birthday party.  8 miles total.