Drink Your Way to Safe Summer Activity

Whether you opt for a jog at the park, a walk through the neighborhood, or a heart-pumping bike ride, summertime workouts can really make you sweat.

And that’s a good thing. Perspiration is your body’s way of cooling itself down, which is a very important consideration when you’re working out in the middle of a summer scorcher.

But all that sweat leaches your body of valuable fluids that need to be replenished.

Gauging your hydration requires more than just paying attention to how thirsty you are.

In order to protect yourself from the dangers of dehydration, heat stroke, and heat exhaustion, you need to drink plenty of liquids not just after exercise, but before and during, too.

According to WebMD, a good guideline is to drink 2 cups of your liquid of choice two hours before your workout. Good old-fashioned tap water is fine, of course, but you might opt for a sports drink to keep your energy up if you plan to be active for an hour or longer.

During your activity, aim for about 4 to 6 ounces every 15 to 20 minutes, and then drink some more when you’re done.

Following this advice will help you stay well hydrated so you can keep those sweaty summer workouts effective, safe, and fun.

The Best Tweets of the Week: