Like every living thing, you need water to thrive. Water is what nurtures your body and allows you to work harder, get stronger, and improve your performance, no matter what your physical activity levels are.

But it’s not always obvious how much water you need to drink. Factors like body weight, exercise intensity, and temperature can all impact your ideal water intake. And how do sports drinks and other fluids come into play?

Don’t sweat it—P.E Nation has all your hydration questions covered.

You’ve probably heard the common adage of “eight glasses of water a day,” but proper water intake isn’t a one-size-fits-all model. Eight glasses is a bit vague, too. For starters, how many ounces is considered a glass?

Perhaps a better question to start with is: why does your body need water in the first place? Your body is made of a lot of water. About 78%, in fact.  

And water is an essential ingredient for most of your body’s internal processes, including but not limited to:

• Digestion

• Hormone balance

• Cushioning bones, joints, and important organs

• Blood oxygenation

You also rely on water to regulate your body temperature. On a hot day, or during a workout, your body heats up, and in order to offload that excess heat, it releases water in the form of sweat. The sweat then evaporates into the air, pulling that heat away from your body.

While sweating is an effective way to cool down, it quickly depletes your body’s fluids. Factors that can impact how much you sweat include:

• Exercise intensity and duration

• Air temperature

• Fitness level

Did you know that fitter people typically sweat more than others? That’s because they’re conditioned to work harder, at higher intensities. That hard work generates more heat, making you sweat even more.

Everyone needs to understand the importance of hydration, but for athletes and lovers of intense exercise, it’s vital.

Dehydration is more common than you’d think. You probably know someone who hardly takes a sip of water during the day. It might even be you. The most common sign of dehydration, fittingly, is feeling thirsty. Thirst is your body’s way of telling you your hydration game is a bit lacking. If you’re staying properly hydrated, you should rarely feel thirsty.

Some other signs you may be dehydrated include:

• Tiredness, dizziness, or headache

• Dry mouth

• Muscle cramps

• Flushed skin

Here are two easy, at-home tests you can do to quickly assess your hydration levels:

• Urine test – A simple way to spot dehydration is by checking the colour of your urine. Your urine should range from relatively clear to pale yellow in colour. If it’s dark or smells strong, you’re probably dehydrated. There are also at-home urine testing devices available that can give you a more accurate read on your current hydration level.

• Skin turgor test – Skin turgor represents your skin’s ability to hold its shape. Poor skin turgor is one of the signs of moderate dehydration. To check, simply pinch a patch of skin on the back of your hand, your arm, or stomach, for a few seconds. If the skin doesn’t quickly return to its original shape, you may be dehydrated.

Mild dehydration can be cleared up in just a few minutes by drinking fluids. But to make sure you never get to that point, you need a hydration plan that matches your activity levels and sweat rate.

Back to the “eight glasses of water a day” recommendation (and it’s eight ounces/225ml per glass, if you were still wondering). While this is a decent starting point for becoming more aware of your hydration needs, the actual amount of fluids you need to consume can vary significantly depending on things like body weight, exercise, and temperature.

Here are some easy calculations you can use to determine what your daily fluid intake should be:

• By weight – To calculate your baseline hydration needs, take your current weight and divide it by two. The number you get is the recommended number of fluid ounces you should be consuming in a day.

• By amount of exercise – After you’ve calculated your daily fluid intake by weight, you need to add about twelve ounces/350ml for every half hour of exercise. You may need to drink more depending on exercise intensity and heat, but this is a good place to start.  

You can also calculate fluid loss during a workout to help you properly replenish your body. You can lose anywhere from two to three quarts of fluid (2-3.5 litres) per hour of activity, depending on the intensity.  

To measure fluid loss more accurately, you’ll need to weigh yourself before and after your sweat sesh, accounting for any fluids you drink during that time. For each pound/500g of fluid lost, drink about 24 ounces/750ml.  

If you’re an athlete, or you work out regularly, it’s as important to pay attention to when you’re drinking fluids as it is to monitor the amount that you’re drinking.

Here’s a general guide for optimising your fluid intake while being active:

• Pre-workout – Two hours before your activity, drink about 24 ounces (700ml)

• During your workout – Drink about six to twelve ounces (170-340ml) for every 20 minutes of activity

• Post-workout – Depending on sweat loss, drink about 16 to 24 ounces (450-700ml)

Remember to keep your baseline needs in mind, and always modify for especially hot days or intense activities.

Proper hydration begins with water, but it doesn’t stop there. Take a look at some of the best hydration options and their many benefits.

Water should always be the first fluid you reach for. It’s completely natural, and it’s the most accessible way to hydrate. But some people struggle to drink enough water because it’s just so…plain. Here are some easy ways to spice it up without losing any overall health benefits:

• Add in a lemon or lime wedge, or a dash of lemon or lime juice

• Infuse water with fresh fruits and herbs, like raspberries and mint

• Drink sparkling water or seltzer (just watch the sugar content)

Sometimes, if you’re a highly active person who drinks a lot of fluids, too much water can upset your natural electrolyte balance, which can impact your physical performance and overall health. So, let’s look at some effective alternatives.

You’ve probably heard about the importance of electrolytes, but what do they actually do? When you sweat, you lose water, but you also lose salt. Salt is an important facilitator for nerves and other cells to send signals and absorb nutrients. Maintaining your body’s salt levels is essential to performing your best while exercising. That’s where sports drinks come in.  

Electrolytes found in sports drinks contain salts and minerals your body can’t make on its own, like: 

• Potassium

• Phosphate

• Calcium

• Magnesium 

The electrolyte levels in sports drinks can vary, though most match up with the electrolyte levels found in your blood. You can buy them in bottles, in dissolvable packets or tablets, or you can make your own by adding a little salt and flavouring to water to optimise your sports recovery.

Hydration comes in many forms, including the foods you eat. Fruits and vegetables are both part of a healthy diet, not just because they’re rich in nutrients, like fiber and antioxidants, but because they have a high water content, too.

Here are some of the most hydrating foods you can consume to supplement your usual hydration plan:

• Melons, including watermelon and cantaloupe

• Citrus fruits, including pineapple and oranges

• Vegetables, such as cucumbers, lettuce, and celery

• Plain yogurt

• Soups and broths

Some other options to consider include coconut water and skim milk. Both contain plenty of nutrients and are particularly good at rehydrating your body and systems after intense physical activity.

While it’s always better to drink something rather than nothing, there are a few fluid options to cut back on for staying hydrated:

• Caffeinated drinks – No one’s telling you to give up your morning cup of coffee or the occasional energy drink, but if caffeinated drinks are your main source of fluid, your hydration levels may be lacking. Caffeine is a diuretic, meaning it makes you pee more, so drinking a lot of it can deplete your fluid faster than you can drink it.

• Alcohol – This is another common diuretic. Several studies have found that alcoholic drinks can increase urine production, leading to an increased risk of dehydration. Like with caffeine, the more alcohol you drink, the more likely it will dehydrate you.

You don’t have to completely stop drinking these fluids; just remember to always drink in moderation, and balance it out with plenty of water.

Each time you sweat it out, it’s essential to rehydrate so you can continue to feel and perform your best. Another way to ensure you feel and perform your best? Choosing high-quality activewear that’s supportive, comfortable, and stylish. Begin building your new fitness wardrobe with the help of our guides on what to wear to Pilates and how to create stylish workout sets, ensuring you look great whether you're sweating it out at the gym or in the studio.

At P.E Nation, we use high-quality, buttery smooth fabrics that keep you cool and wick moisture away before you even get a chance to feel it. And we don’t stop at gym clothes, either. Our streetwear is designed with peak comfort and wearability in mind, so you can worry less about sweat and focus more on cultivating your personal brand of style.

Join our Nation and feel the difference for yourself. And for more style and wellness advice, check out our blog.  

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Sources:  

Cleveland Clinic. Dehydration.  

Precision Fuel & Hydration. Do you sweat more as you get fitter?

Medline Plus. Skin Turgor.

University of Missouri System. How to calculate how much water you should drink.

Johns Hopkins Medicine. Sports and Hydration for Athletes: Q&A with a Dietitian Fitness and Performance.

Healthline. 19 Water-Rich Foods That Help You Stay Hydrated.

Healthline. Do Some Drinks Cause Dehydration?