Hello Team GBI!
To those of you who were able to attend, we hope you had a great experience at the first official Half-Marathon team training this past Sunday. For those of you who weren’t able to make it, we hope you participated in your own training session to prepare for the big walk/run in December. As you begin the training for this amazing physical feat, please get into the habit of drinking sufficient amounts of water before, during and after a workout. Especially during these hot summer days, staying hydrated is vital to your health and performance.
In this first part of our two part series on hydration, we will explain why our bodies need water and how to hydrate before a training session. Tomorrow, we will discuss how to hydrate during and after a session and the dangers of over hydration.
Our bodies are made up of 60% water. Every reaction inside of our bodies happens in water, from digestion through muscle contractions to converting fat into fuel that our muscles use during a long workout. Studies have found that a loss of two or more percent of one’s body weight due to sweating is linked to a drop in blood volume. When this occurs, the heart works harder to move blood through the bloodstream. This can also cause muscle cramps, dizziness, fatigue and heat exhaustion or heat stroke. Hence, the essential need to keep the right amount of water in your system.
Before:
Did you know if you wait until you are thirsty to take a drink, then it is already too late to catch up on replenishing your fluids during that workout? That’s why you must hydrate BEFORE you begin working out. It’s recommended that the average person drink at least 16 ounces before, but not immediately prior to a workout. Your body needs time to take in and distribute the fluid. You should not quickly drink two glasses of water and bolt out the door for a walk or run. Two to three hours prior to a workout, drink two to three cups of water (think of it as the 2:3 rule).
Please check back tomorrow, or sign up for our RSS feed to see the second part of our series on hydration.
Team GBI
P.S. Our first team video is up on YouTube! Check it out here: http://www.youtube.com/user/LVGBIpatients
Tags: bariatric patient, Dr. Darren Soong, Dr. James Atkinson, Half Marathon Training, las vegas, Las Vegas Half Marathon, Las Vegas Marathon, Las Vegas Rock n' Roll Marathon, marathon nutrition, Marathon Training Tips
