Whether it's hot outside, humid or even just training extra hard - your hydration levels affect your performance.
As your body tries to cool itself with sweat, its fluid demands increase. The water your body loses need replacing, otherwise you won't be able to go on.
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A mere 2% drop in hydration from fluid loss can impair your health and performance significantly.
As dehydration gets worse, the effects magnify.
Signs and symptoms that signal you may be suffering from dehydration
Not only will your training performance suffer, there are other signs you might need more fluids:
Once you're dehydrated, it's too late
By the time dehydration hits, you'll already be experiencing a drop in performance. Instead, stay on top of your hydration requirements and pre-empt any issues ahead of your workout or training session.
Habits to encourage drinking water | How to arrive for your training session properly hydrated
Keep your water bottle next to your bed. As soon as you wake up in the morning, aim to drink at least 250ml.
Have water with every meal. At least a cupful, or 250ml. If you're having six meals and snacks every day, that's 1.5 litres of H20.
Carry your drink bottle with you and keep it on hand. Invest in one that's practical as well as aesthetic. In doing so, you'll find you actually want to drink from it.
Remember, other fluids count towards your hydration level too. Make use of diet soda, mineral water, flavoured low sugar cordial, tea and coffee. Especially if you start to find water becomes a bit bland and boring.
If you find caffeine in tea or coffee troubling you later at night, switch to something herbal. Peppermint, jasmine or camomile teas can still give you the benefits of a comforting warm drink as well as contribute to your fluid intake.
Do your best to avoid guzzling huge amounts of water at one particular time. Instead, aim to sip throughout the day. If you can manage this, you'll find your stomach is much more comfortable as it won't feel overly full from water.
Monitor the colour of your urine. Particularly in the hours leading up to your gym workout or training session. Aim to keep it clear or pale yellow. In case you have an early morning session planned, make sure your urine is clear the night before.
Get to know your body and stay aware of how you are feeling. Notice and acknowledge any signals it's giving you. Don't rely on waiting until you feel thirsty before you have a drink.
