This largely depends on your exercise intensity, the environment, and your own sweat rate. By Ayana Underwood. By Tiffany Ayuda. By Sara Coughlin. For instance, if you lose one liter 34 ounces , you should try to take in 1 to 1.

One way you can figure out how much fluid you lose during exercise is to weigh yourself before and after your workout. The difference is the amount of water you lost. Then multiply that by 1 and 1.

For instance, if you lost 32 ounces or two pounds during your workout, you should aim to take in 32 to 48 ounces afterward.

Of course, only try this tip if weighing yourself or having a scale around is not triggering to you in any way. Instead, taking frequent sips—before, during, and after exercise, is what will really help, Pryor says. This allows your body to better retain water, which will aid in transporting electrolytes to where they need to go.

It might even pull out nutrients from your body along with it. Plus chugging water can lead to not-so-pleasant effects like extreme fullness or an upset stomach. As we mentioned, there are two parts to hydration: water and electrolytes. Knowing those numbers can help guide you when thinking about which electrolyte packets or sports drinks are right for you.

For example, a Gatorade Thirst Quencher has milligrams of sodium per ounce serving, while a packet of Liquid IV electrolyte power has milligrams in one serving. For instance, if you are exercising for an hour or more, electrolyte packets with higher sodium content may be a better fit for you than a sports drink like Gatorade, which has less.

Remember, sodium is the most important electrolyte for replacement in these cases. So focus on that in your electrolyte drinks or packets—the other electrolytes they provide should be enough to replace the electrolytes you lose in lesser amounts. Another quick way to rehydrate postworkout is with a smoothie.

To make the most of your smoothie, add foods that are naturally high in electrolytes, like watermelon, banana, and dates, Samuel says.

You can also incorporate some leafy greens and coconut water, which are excellent sources of potassium. If you have trouble remembering to take frequent sips after your workout, Pryor suggests eating foods high in water content, such as cucumbers, peppers, broccoli, lettuce, and watermelon, to help replenish your fluids.

Zucchini, cauliflower, strawberries, and celery are also very hydrating vegetables and fruits to munch on, according to the Cleveland Clinic. Add these foods to your salads, smoothies, or just snack on them throughout the day to increase your water and mineral intake.

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Visit Us. Take the Quiz. Account Sign In Create Account Rewards. Blog Come curious and dive deep with our favorite doctors and experts. Should You Take Electrolytes Before or After Workout?

When Should You Take Electrolytes for a Workout? So, when should you take electrolytes in relation to your workouts? Benefits of Drinking Electrolytes Before Your Workout Proper hydration is crucial even before you lace up your running shoes or roll out your mat for hot yoga.

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Get wellness tips, education, and recipes delivered straight to your inbox. electrolytes hydration. Related Articles. Collagen vs. Biotin: Which Should You Take? Do Electrolytes Give You Energy?

Vitamin D and Magnesium: Exploring the Two. Follow her on LinkedIn or ResearchGate. Sawka M, Burke L, Eichner E, et al. American College of Sports Medicine position stand. Exercise and fluid replacement. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise ;39 2 How often should you change your running shoes?

Signs to look out for. Beetroot juice benefits for running performance — Fact or fad? Yes, runners need recovery days, but also recovery weeks. top of page. Book a video consultation with our physios. FIND OUT MORE. Click to subscribe to our newsletter.

Maryke Louw 4 min read. What is the best way to replace fluids after exercise? In this article:. The importance of salt sports drinks are not enough. How you rehydrate after exercise should be dictated by 2 factors:. How much fluid you have lost.

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You can round out your water intake with other fluids such as flavored water, fruits, vegetables, and tea to ensure you are staying hydrated.

When you exercise, though, your hydration needs increase. The American College of Sports Medicine ACSM released a position stand on fluid replacement during exercise. Here are ACSM's recommendations:.

During exercise, you lose water through sweat, respiration, and other bodily functions. Typically, the amount of loss depends on how long and how aggressively you work out. To recover and rehydrate after your workout, choose the fluids that work best for you and your hydrating needs.

Using an insulated tumbler can help keep your beverage of choice at the optimal temperature. Experimenting is helpful, as you see how your body adjusts to different types of drinks. For example, a certain sports drink brand could cause you gastrointestinal issues, whereas another brand rehydrates you well and allows you to recover quickly.

Meanwhile, some people find coconut water more palatable than plain water. To find out what works best for you, here are the best rehydration options to try. The American Council on Exercise says that drinking plain water is one of the most effective methods to rehydrate naturally.

The council recommends drinking 8 ounces of water after exercise and an additional 16 to 24 ounces of fluid for every 1 pound of body weight lost during exercise. According to a published study in Nutrients , sports drinks can rehydrate you and provide high-value minerals, electrolytes, carbohydrates, and in some brands, protein.

These beverages present a palatable way to bring needed fluids to your body that is often lost during workouts as trying to eat all the needed minerals would most likely give you gastrointestinal issues, especially if the exercise is intense.

You can eat fruits and vegetables with a high water content to replace some of the water lost during exercise. Watermelon is one of the most popular options. The fruit also allows you to eat some of your fluid needs, helping to satisfy hunger as well as hydration needs without causing gastrointestinal stress.

If you find sports drinks particularly heavy—as many brands contain added sugars— you may want to try coconut water as a potential solution for rehydration—Harmless Harvest coconut water, for example, is an excellent workout recovery drink. This water contains electrolytes such as magnesium, calcium, potassium, and sodium, as well as carbohydrates that help to improve muscle function and promote recovery process.

When sports drinks cause gastrointestinal issues, you could switch to an electrolyte supplement in the form of a pill or powder. For the pill, you can either pop it open and pour the contents into a water-filled bottle, shake it up, and drink, or you could swallow the pill whole.

For powders, you dump the powder into water, stir it, and sip. These supplements are not as heavy as some sports drinks and you can control how much water you use.

Sports drinks replenish glucose, sodium, potassium, calcium, and magnesium, which are lost when you sweat. According to Harvard Health, adults only need sports drinks during exercise that lasts more than 1 hour or during heavy exercise sessions.

Drinking too many sports drinks, especially when you are not intensely exercising on a consistent basis, can lead to consuming too much sugar.

You also risk getting cavities. If you experience any of the following symptoms, you could be dehydrated and need to see a healthcare provider.

Rehydration after a workout is imperative to recovery. Water and electrolytes help your body move, lubricate joints, bring nutrients to cells, and prevent overheating.

If you workout more than 60 minutes or if you have an intense workout session, be sure to rehydrate immediately after exercise to avoid the potential danger of dehydration. As always, speak with a healthcare professional regarding any questions on your hydration choices.

After a minute workout, you can rehydrate in about 45 minutes as long as you continued to hydrate throughout the workout, did not have a significant sweat session, and start out hydrated.

To rehydrate quickly, drink water immediately after your workout. Make sure you have water bottle or another water source available after you workout to not delay the hydration process. For more extreme workouts, you may need an electrolyte drink right away.

These electrolyte drinks can provide good carbohydrates, protein, and necessary minerals to ensure you rehydrate and improve your recovery time. You should drink water immediately after a workout to recover from dehydration.

You also need to replenish your electrolytes—which are electrically charged ions that help your body move water to ensure proper hydration.

Look for an electrolyte drink or supplement that contains magnesium, sodium, calcium, and potassium, as these are minerals lost in sweat during workouts. Magee PJ, Gallagher AM, McCormack JM.

High prevalence of dehydration and inadequate nutritional knowledge among university and club level athletes. International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism. Harvard Health. The importance of hydration. Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

How much water do you need. American College of Sports Medicine. Position Stand: Exercise and Fluid Replacement. American Council on Exercise. How hydration affects performance. Orrù S, Imperlini E, Nigro E, et al. Role of functional beverages on sport performance and recovery.

Watermelon's benefits. Kalman DS, Feldman S, Krieger DR, Bloomer RJ. Comparison of coconut water and a carbohydrate-electrolyte sport drink on measures of hydration and physical performance in exercise-trained men. J Int Soc Sports Nutr.

McDermott BP, Anderson SA, Armstrong LE, et al. Journal of Athletic Training. Sports drinks. Logan-Sprenger HM, Spriet LL. The acute effects of fluid intake on urine specific gravity and fluid retention in a mildly dehydrated state.

Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. By Jennifer Purdie, M. Ed, CPT Jennifer Purdie, M. Ed, is a certified personal trainer, freelance writer, and author of "Growth Mindset for Athletes, Coaches and Trainers. Use limited data to select advertising.

Create profiles for personalised advertising. Example: If you found that you had lost 2kg of body weight during exercise, you would aim to drink a mixture of water and salt which equates to about 2. You can have sports drinks, but you'll have to add some salt since they normally do not contain enough.

Please make sure that you first ask your doctor's advice if you're supposed to follow a low salt diet. Research has also shown that it is important to restock on protein and carbohydrates after exercise to ensure a full recovery.

I have previously written about exactly how much protein you should eat and when, for best recovery. The ACSM guidelines further state that caffeine and low alcohol content drinks beer are OK to drink in moderation if you are aiming to rehydrate over 24 hours. It may be best to avoid them if you want to rehydrate quickly, since they have a mild diuretic action.

Strong alcohol spirits is not advised, because it acts as a strong diuretic makes you lose a lot of fluid. In this video, we interview former athlete Jesse Funk about how individuals have different sweat rates and the best way to go about replacing lost electrolytes:. Need more help with your injury?

Maryke Louw is a chartered physiotherapist with more than 15 years' experience and a Masters Degree in Sports Injury Management. Follow her on LinkedIn or ResearchGate. Sawka M, Burke L, Eichner E, et al. American College of Sports Medicine position stand. Exercise and fluid replacement.

Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise ;39 2 How often should you change your running shoes? Signs to look out for. Beetroot juice benefits for running performance — Fact or fad?

Yes, runners need recovery days, but also recovery weeks. top of page. Book a video consultation with our physios. FIND OUT MORE. Click to subscribe to our newsletter. Maryke Louw 4 min read.

What is the best way to replace fluids after exercise? In this article:. The importance of salt sports drinks are not enough. How you rehydrate after exercise should be dictated by 2 factors:.

How much fluid you have lost. About the Author.