It’s HOT outside and not drinking enough water will nix  your energy levels.  Believe it or not, losing as little as 1% of your body weight as water will slow you down.  Proper hydration optimizes your body’s ability to regulate body heat in hot environments;  improves the ability to recover quickly from training; and  runs  interferance with fatigue, helping  maintain mental alertness.

Today during my run, I  calculated my sweat rate, the optimal way to determine fluid requirements,  ’cause one size does not fit all. (Please click here for your free handout on how to Calculate your sweat rate.) The result: I lost two pounds of water in one hour. What does this mean? It means my challenge is to  drink 32 ounces of water (or other appropriate fluids)  by days end to make up for the deficit.

I don’t know about you, but  consuming one quart of  fluids all at once would  make me feel uncomfortable and bloated. So  I consume smaller amounts throughout the day, and I also vary what I drink.   I prefer  water, but also hydrate with chocolate milk, smoothies and my latest obsession (to be  revealed in my next post).

My sweat rate also helps me plan for hydration when I am exercising for over one hour, in  similar environmental conditions. I  now know that I require  8 ounces of water every 15 minutes when it’s 83 degrees and humid.

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Use this plan to balance drinking water and working out so you’re comfortable and perform your best, even during the dog days of summer.

Do you find it difficult to keep up with your fluid demands in the heat?  What tips do you have?