Hi, my name is Chris
the new Health and Fitness Co-ordinator at Bramcote Leisure Centre, and I’ll be regularly writing blogs here with useful advice and information which can benefit you on your personal journey towards achieving your goals.
Firstly we’ll focus on the importance of drinking enough water to enable you to exercise effectively. Whether that’s keeping up to pace with the latest Ed Sheeran remix on the treadmill; burning the calories in an exercise class; building muscle in the free weights room or striding around Broxtowe’s great parks.
You can lose up to 1 litre of fluid an hour when you exercise through sweating and breathing. This is because water accounts for around 60% of your body. It is vital to replenish due to the vital role it plays in all body functions.
An excellent proven piece of advice by health professionals is to drink steadily during the day. Aim to drink around 500ml of water at least four hours before you exercise. In the 10 to 15 minutes before you exercise, top your fluid levels by drinking about half of this again. As you exercise you will need to keep sipping away in order that you don’t become dehydrated, and remember to rehydrate post exercise.
Energy Drinks
If you are moderately active and use the gym a couple of times a week and maybe play non-competitive sports, then you don’t really need to buy energy drinks. The reason for this is that energy drinks, loaded with sugars and salt in order to replenish electrolytes, can give you extra calories that you don’t need. But, if you training more than moderate intensity for an hour or more (or for any strenuous sporting activity), then energy drinks can be beneficial. This is due to the fact that they will assist in holding off fatigue and enhance performance.
Poor hydration can result in overheating, muscle weakness, muscle cramps, dizzyness and headaches. These are all detrimental to achieving your goals.
Remember that if you already feel thirsty, you are already dehydrated!
Come and see me or any of the fitness instructors here as we are available for you anytime to help you along your journey.
