September 20th, 2010 
Dennis 
We all know the need for proper hydration. Water is the most important ingredient to a healthy life especially when exercising. Hydration guidelines suggest we drink 8-10 fl oz every 10-15 minutes during an exercise program lasting 60-90 minutes.But what about sports drinks? Are you adding unnecessary calories and sodium to your diet? Popular theory tells us we need to replace electrolytes after exercise and now they are telling us we need to do it before, during AND after!!! But is this the right advice for all levels of exercise?
Electrolytes are electrically charged particles that help the body function normally. Sodium along with potassium, calcium and magnesium are some of those electrolytes. Sodium is lost in the highest concentration in sweat. You are unlikely to need to replace electrolytes unless you are exercising at a high intensity for 60 minutes or more. It's really not necessary to replace losses of sodium, potassium and other electrolytes during exercise since you're unlikely to deplete your body's reserves of these minerals during normal training. If, however, you find yourself exercising in extreme conditions over 3 or 5 hours (a marathon, Ironman or even tennis players in the sun for example) you may want to add a complex sports drink with electrolytes.
Potassium can be replaced after an hour of hard training by snacking on a medium to large banana. Including calcium rich foods in your daily diet as well as great sources of magnesium such as green leafy vegetables, whole grains and nuts as often as possible are a well balanced and satisfying way to replace those losses. A recovery snack of nonfat milk and whole grain bread with peanut butter can replace most of the sodium lost in sweat during a hard hour long workout.
So put down the sports drink and grab a healthy snack instead!
Sincerely,
Dennis Croll
www.vitalliving.co.nz
Few people realize from the very beginning just how essential water is to the success of their workout program. Although multiple sources of information exist out there, from magazine articles written by physicians and exercise experts to all sorts of advice materials available over the internet or at one's gym facility, the importance of drinking the adequate water quantities has not been adequately understood by most people; not even by those who regularly exercise and have managed to improve their muscle mass and tone.
People should start paying attention to their water intake 2-3 hours before getting to the gym or begin jogging. In addition, drinking at least 2-3 cups of water during the exercise routine is considered a must, as well as consuming another cup immediately before the start of the exercise. Without this extra water before and during the exercise the body becomes dehydrated and muscles will not work as effectively as they should. This means that a less water-based workout will not produce the same results as one that is. Thus, once the exercising starts, people have to continue drinking water frequently. Keeping a bottle of water near the treadmill or on the floor beside your weight lifting machine, acts as a reminder that water has to enter your system for it to work perfectly and be at its best state. A good rule of thumb is to drink one cup of water every 15-20 minutes of physical workout.