Hydration status is very important, especially during the summer! One great indicator for assessing hydration status is the color of your urine. I know it may be gross, but one of the best ways to measure the quality and quantity of what you put in your body is to check out what comes out.
The image shown above was developed by Professor Lawrence E. Armstrong, whom specializes in physiological responses to exercise and hydration status. Numbers 1-3 indicate that an individual/athlete is well hydrated. While numbers 4-5 indicate that an individual/athlete is not hydrated enough. Lastly, numbers 7 and 8 indicate that an individual/athlete is dehydrated. However, it is important to note that if you are taking a multivitamin or any other vitamin supplement your urine color may be a bright yellow and not give you an accurate reading.
The Dietary Reference Intake (DRI) for fluid for men is 3.7 liters per day and women is 2.7 liters per day. How much fluid do you get in a day?
Some great Sports Nutrition Fluid Guidelines to follow are:
- Before Exercise: Two hours prior to exercise consume 16-20 ounces of water and 10-20 minutes prior to exercise consume 7-10 ounces of water.
- During Exercise: Every 15-20 minutes consume 6-8 ounces of water. If you are exercising for longer than one hour, consuming a sports drink with 4-8% carbohydrate will help provide energy to working muscles.
- After Exercise: For every pound lost during exercise, 24 ounces of fluid should be consumed to aid in hydration maintenance.
So are Urine or are You out 😉
{ 0 comments… add one now }