Jeni Tackett and her family hiked the Grand Canyon – where proper preparation and hydration makes all the difference.

By Jeni Tackett, RD, Rock Valley Physical Therapy

I just learned the importance of hydration first hand.  I hiked down the Grand Canyon with my family earlier this summer and the temperature at Phantom Ranch was 110 degrees in the shade and the thermometer stopped at 140 degrees in the sun!

In extreme heat situations such as this, staying ahead of dehydration is especially important.

Closer to home, our Quad City Races are popular in the summer months, and race/walk day can be unseasonably warm (even in the mornings) resulting in dehydration, reduced performance, and even heat stroke.

Benefits of hydration:

• Helps you regulate your body temperature
• Enhances recovery after exercise
• Prevents muscle cramps
• Improves mental function (so that you make good decisions)

Signs of dehydration:

• Lack of concentration
• Early fatigue
• Headaches
• Nausea and vomiting
• Elevated heartrate (above normal exercise heart rate level)

Five tips to stay hydrated:

• Drink before, during, and after exercise. Start a workout or race well hydrated and have water handy during exercise.  Drink approximately 16 ounces of water 2 hours before exercising and 8 ounces of water 15 minutes before exercising.
• Drink regardless of whether you feel thirsty or not.Practice exercising and drinking water. Dehydration can result in water sloshing in the stomach.  This can affect performance (and is downright annoying).
• After you work out or exercise, make sure to rehydrate. If your weight is down 1 pound, you need to drink approximately 2-3 cups (16-24 ounces) of water to replace the pound lost from sweating.
• Eating plenty of fruits and vegetables helps keep you hydrated.Fruits and veggies have a high water content.  Make sure you have fruits or veggies at all of your meals and snacks.
• Add in beverages in the summer months: smoothies at breakfast, ice tea, herbal tea, or chocolate milk after a workout are all ways to increase fluids in the diet.

You can tell if you are dehydrated if your urine is concentrated.

Strive to have clear or light straw-colored urine.

Staying hydrated can improve your athletic performance, keep you safe, and make you feel great!

Download these Hydration Tips from the US Olympic Committee by clicking on the image below:

Click on the image to download the 2-page hydration fact sheet from the US Olympic Committee.

Meet Jeni Tackett, Let’s Move Quad Cities Nutrition Blogger. Jeni is a registered and licensed dietitian for Rock Valley Health. Jeni counsels her clients on weight loss and nutrition. You can read Jeni’s bio and other blog posts by clicking here.