There could be a handful of reasons why athletes cramp, but
a common newbie mistake is dehydration.
Staying hydrated will promote weight loss, overall good health and is
crucial if you are training for any distance event. 80-120 ounces of water is recommended per day depending on
your size and how much you are exercising. For a 160 pound, moderately active, person that’s about 3
Kleen Kanteens or 2.5 Nalgenes. If you drink
coffee or alcohol add 2 glasses of water for each drink you consume to make
sure you’re replenishing appropriately.
There are lots of numbers out there for how much you should drink while
exercising. The keys to come away
with are drink before, even if your not thirsty, drink every 10-20 minutes
during and drink after until your urine is clear again. If you are working out for longer than
1 hour consider a sports drink to ensure you’re not losing too much sodium.
Tips:
-Always have a water bottle with you. At work, in the car, on your bike, etc.
-Drink a full glass of water with every meal, first thing in
the morning and right before bed.
-It sounds gross, but look at your urine. It should be relatively clear. If it’s yellow or stinky drink more
water.
If these tips don’t help and you’re still cramping consult a
naturopath to investigate other possible causes.
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| Schuyler 2011 10 minutes after finishing Ironman Coeur d'Alene This is a really poor example of adequate hydration, but sometimes you've just got to do what you got to do!! |
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