NDIS Provider’s Tips to Stay Hydrated During Exercise

As an NDIS provider, we often see a lot of people get concerned about whether or not to exercise in summer. They often concern about passing out or getting tired while exercising during summer. These are real concerns our dietitians hear quite often during the warmer months. Staying hydrated is extremely important all year round, but in the warmer months when our bodies are losing more water and salts through sweat, hydration becomes a bigger issue of concern.

Here NDIS provider ZedCare Ability Services shares top 6 tips to stay hydrated in summer when exercising:

Get Hydrated Before Exercising

It may sound like common sense, but many people are not getting enough hydration on a day to day basis. A good guideline is 30-40ml per kg body weight. So, if you weigh 70kg, you need to aim for 2.1-2.8L of fluids a day!

Urine Colour

How hydrated you are can be identified by the colour of your urine. Optimally, you should have pale yellow coloured urine – if it is dark, it means you are dehydrated, and if it is clear, it means you aren’t retaining enough fluids – time to up the electrolytes.

Limit Alcohol and Caffeine

Alcohol and caffeine make your body lose more fluids. If you’re planning to exercise, try to avoid alcohol leading up to the event, and make sure you have the above two tips covered!

Drink Plenty of Water

Many people will complete a 30-60-minute session at the gym and choose to drink just sports drinks. Whilst this isn’t harmful, it’s not necessary. When you are exercising for short durations (less than an hour), water is sufficient for hydration.

Add Electrolytes

For exercise longer than an hour, if you are doing a long event, aim to hydrate with a sports drink that is abundant in electrolytes and has about 6-8% carbohydrates for re-fueling. A good option is Gatorade.

Consider Your Diet

As hydration is only one aspect of it. Do not neglect a well-balanced, nutrient rich diet. For athletes, it is important to consider the amounts of protein, carbohydrates and fats in your diet, especially around training time. Focusing on foods that are nutrient dense ensures that you are getting a lot of micronutrients as well as macros. If you are unsure whether you are eating correctly for your training, speak to a sports dietitian who can assist you.

For further information regarding NDIS services, feel free to call ZedCare at 1300 933 013.