Hydration Tips For Outdoor Exercisers

The temperatures are dropping around the country, even here in Arizona. What I commonly witness is that as the temperatures drop and winter sets in, outdoor exercisers become more lackadaisical in consuming and/or keeping water with them during their workouts. Why do they do this?

When it is cooler outside, it is not as desirable to drink cold water. When it is warm outside, we are motivated to drink to cool ourselves off. The truth is you can become dehydrated as easily in cool weather as in hot weather. During exercise, we lose body water through sweat and also through breathing. When it is cooler outside, we do not sense that we are sweating as much and thus, we do not feel the need to drink as much. In addition, cool air tends to be drier than warmer air. So during the winter when we breathe, we are losing more water through our exhalation and we are breathing in drier air. During warmer weather, we are typically breathing in moister air, so some of the water we lose through exhalation we recapture when we inhale. When it is warm and our sweat rate is reved up in attempt to keep our body cool, we typically feel the need to drink more.

Remember even mild dehydration will result in a decline in performance. Mild dehydration is extremely difficult to identify while you’re working out. The key is to always have water with you when you workout, regardless of how hot or cold it is. Listen to your body, if you feel the sensation of thirst – DRINK! Thirst is your body’s real-time feedback mechanisml of hydration needs. The sports nutrition recommendations are to consume approximately 4 oz to 8 oz every fifteen minutes of exercise. For exercise sessions lasting 60 minutes or less, plain water is your best bet. Drink UP!!

To Your Best Health,

Melissa Guthrie
BSc Nutritional Science
BSc Exercise Physiology
ACE Certified Personal Trainer/Group Fitness Instructor
New Leaf Certified Metabolic Technician
Triathlete/Runner