Drink water. Drink more water. Drink water before and after you exercise. Sure,
I'd heard all of that advice a million times but somehow, when I did my first
distance triathlon in the heat of the competition, I forgot all about what I'd
read in EatingWell Magazine's article "Eat to Win" about what to eat and drink
while you exercise. I mean, it was sweltering out there. It was a dry hot day on
a sunny course. I was doing better than I ever expected. Felt great, in fact. So
why stop at the water stops? Why let someone pass me?

Then, as I started to get toward the end of the race, my body slowed down. My
mind slowed down. I felt lethargic. I lost five places in the last mile. But
after I crossed the finish line, the really weird things started to happen: I
couldn't find my bike. Or my car. Or my friends. In fact, I couldn't remember
much, to the point where I forgot that I had finished the race and went to start
the bike leg again. Finally, a friend said, "You're dehydrated," a fact
confirmed later in the medical tent.

Ever since then, I've become religious about drinking water before, during and
after exercise. (Should you drink bottled water or tap water?) Drinking water or
other fluids (I like to drink flavored, low-cal drinks) consistently through
your day allows the water to get to all the organs that need it—including your
muscles and your brain—while you're still resting. So, basically, you're just
setting yourself up to start off on the right foot when you are ready to
exercise. (It's important to eat too. Try these 3 on-the-go power breakfast
recipes to fuel your day.)

The American Council on Exercise (ACE) suggests sipping an additional 17 to 20
ounces of water 2 hours before you exercise. But in 1 hour of exercise, the body
can lose more than a quart of water—especially when it's hot, like it was the
day of my race. So it's important to drink while you're exercising too: 7 to 10
ounces every 10 to 20 minutes.

More isn't better: Too much water can make you sick, a condition called
hypernutremia where you essentially waterlog your system. So can going too long
without replenishing electrolytes, such as sodium. So if you're working out hard
for more than 45 to 60 minutes, you'll want to choose a sports drink or consume
a food that contains some sodium (e.g., pretzels) with your water. (As for
eating, check out these 4 natural fuel foods.)

And it's not always easy to drink on the run, or the ride, so once you finish
exercising you'll want to replenish the fluids you've lost by drinking more. ACE
suggests weighing yourself before, and after, exercise to see how much "water
weight" you've lost. You should sip 16 to 24 ounces of fluids for every pound
you're lighter. No scale? Drink until your urine is a pale yellow.

Next time, I'm going to drink ahead.

**********************************************************************
By Lisa Gosselin

Lisa Gosselin is editorial director for EatingWell Media Group. Her passion for
food started when she was a kid, growing up in Paris, France. Lisa's favorite
thing to do when she visits someplace new is to find a local food market and try
something she's never tasted before.