In the book, Nutrition Periodization For Endurance Athletes, by Bob Seebohar, MS, RD, CSCS, various methods of dieting and eating and drinking the proper things to fuel the body of an endurance athlete properly. It discusses the types of nutrients our bodies need as well as how to use them for the best outcomes. In the introduction of the nutrients and serving sizes and everything like that, he discussed the essence of proper hydration. After a bit of other information about the facts behind hydration and thirst, Seebohar wrote, "You should already have an abundance of water bottles. Make sure to keep one at work, one in the car, and have a few of them always ready in the refrigerator so that they are easy to grab anytime" (Seebohar 34). As can be seen in the images below, I have a water bottle in my car, at school, and a few in my fridge so that I can drink at every place that I go and not become dehydrated. This is especially important due to the fact that I run every day for between 4-9 miles, which means I sweat a lot. Thus, I must stay super hydrated.
In addition, sports drinks, like Gatorade or Powerade are very good to consume before big races or events, in which a lot of salts and energy will be exerted. This increases the amount of sugar and sodium in your blood stream, making it so that you can continue to work hard and exert yourself without the serious threat of cramps, passing out, or possible injury. Seebohar wrote, "Drink 7-10 ounces of sports drink 10-20 minutes before training," for the reasons I listed above (Seebohar 66). That is not to say, however, that excessively drinking bottles of Gatorade will make you a better athlete, it is just very beneficial for an endurance athlete to have to limit the chances of negative effects.
What do you all do to stay hydrated throughout the day and do you have any tips beyond those I have mentioned above? I hope that this blog has helped to inform you all about how to stay healthy and hydrated so that you can work hard, play hard, and most of all, write those annotations without fatigue😉. Stay hydrated, Chargers!
Some fruits that have high levels of electrolytes and fluids can be great for refueling your body. This includes bananas, watermelon, and cantaloupe. So something like a banana along with a water bottle is great for staying hydrated and energized during long runs.
ReplyDeleteNathan! I love your post! It is great information for not only runners, but pretty much all athletes! I, personally, do not drink all that much water in a day as I have stopped doing athletics, so I drink a moderate amount of water and eat fruit. But when I did play football back in middle school, I drank a lot of water and I ate a lot of fruits. As Bradley mentioned above, some fruits have high levels of electrolytes and fluids. So I used that fact in the past to help keep myself hydrated and functioning properly. What do you plan for your next post to be about? Will it be about eating instead of drinking? I am excited to see your next post!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Bradley. I'll keep that in mind!
ReplyDeleteI plan to post what I think is the most important aspect of diet, but I don't want to say too much because it'll be epic. But yes, I think it will be about eating, rather than drinking. Thank you for your support.
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