First the 8 a day mantra has no basis in any clinical trial, we get water from a variety of sources such as out food in addition to any we drink. The mistake I see many make is to sip water from time to time, that will not supply hydration it only slakes thirst. In the military work ion hot environments we had everyone consume a quart at a time if they were working hard and sweating. A minimum of 8 ounces is required and 16 is a better option each time you drink water.
While dehydration is a health problem, so is hyper hydration which has caused fatalities at several road races. If you want an accurate reading as to your hydration level monitor the colour of your urine. Dark urine means you are under hydrated but not necessarily dehydrated, clear means you are over hydrated, pale to moderate yellow places you in the safe range.. Infrequent urination can also indicate an under hydration problem
Edited by: SERGEANTMAJOR at: 6/18/2013 (23:50)
Fitness Minutes: (2,769)
80 6/18/13 10:05 P
Frogman2013....you were extremely fortunate. Here's what most people don't realize about being dehydrated.........
when you are dehydrated for whatever reason, your blood tends to thicken a bit. When you exercise, your heart is obviously working harder. HOWEVER, when you exercise with thickened blood from dehydration, you run the risk of causing yourself a serious cardiac event.
You do not have to be an older person to have a dehydration-induced heart attack. There have been several teenagers in recent years who have died because of this.
The best way to avoid problems is to make sure you drink AT LEAST 64 fluid ounces a day of water, plain and simple.
I needed to read this today! I've gotten so bad about forgetting the water on our hikes, and I know it's gonna catch up with me too.
Fitness Minutes: (460)
3 6/18/13 12:38 A
I've been there before. I was a heat casualty many times my 2nd deployment. I had not been eating healthy enough so my body could not retain water in the heat and I would lose it all or over hydrate my body causing my brain to shut down due to not have enough electrolytes in it.
Fitness Minutes: (1,690)
77 6/17/13 4:18 P
I just did a two-hour bike ride in the 80-degree heat. I didn't drink enough water during the ride. Now I sit here with a stomach filled with water just waiting for it to soak in and being thirsty while I do it.
Hydrate during a long hot workout, people. Don't suffer thirsty water belly syndrome like me!
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