Can you drink water between your workout? Let’s find out

If you are someone who’s hellbent to chieve your fitness goals this year and putting your best foot forward in working out with all your might, you should not ignore your water intake. Without the right amount of hydration, one’s ability to perform to the best during workout session may decline over time.

Hydration status has profound effects on both physical and mental performance, and sports performance is thus critically affected. Both overhydration and underhydration – if sufficiently severe – will impair performance and pose a risk to health, according to a PubMed.gov article.

So, what are the signs that you are not getting enough fluids? If you are working out rigorously without paying attention to your water intake, you may end up feeling tired, dizzy, with dry mouth and lips.

“While working out, we tend to lose water and body salts through lots of sweat; this can further cause dehydration that affects our health. So if you have been exercising religiously on a daily basis, you must know how much water you should really drink during your workout session,” says Mukul Nagpaul, Fit India Movement Ambassador and Founder of Pmftraining.

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According to Harvard Health, four to six cups of fluid daily is generally recommended for most people to consume.

While exercising, The American Council on Exercise recommends drinking:

• 17 to 20 ounces (500 to 600ml) of fluid, 2 to 3 hours before working out
• Another 8 ounces (230ml), 20 to 30 minutes before starting your workout
• Seven to 10 ounces (300ml), every 10 to 20 minutes while exercising
• 8 ounces (230ml) post workout

While these are general recommendation, every individual is different. The water intake can differ as per your body type, weight, gender, outdoor temperature and how you are breathing and sweating.

“Whether you’re participating in a one-hour HIIT class or full-blown marathon, it’s important to stay hydrated throughout the workout. Be sure to prepare during the day by drinking the daily recommended amount of water and fuelling your muscles after with another glass or two. If you really don’t want to sip in class, you can probably skip it only if you’ve been hydrating steadily throughout the day and aren’t feeling thirsty in class,” says Nagpaul.

“If you are uncertain about how much water you should drink per day or while exercising, speak with your doctor. He or she will be able to provide more specific guidelines,” says the expert.