Staying hydrated is a crucial part of not only our health, but also our fitness progression. Carly Yue reveals her top tips for recognising dehydration, as well as advice for how to beat it once and for all... Conquering-Dehydration Dehydration can not only affect your performance at the gym or during sport, but it can also lead to a loss of strength and stamina, and cause fatigue, digestive issues and constipation. A reduction of only 2% of fluid can result in degraded performance of between 10-20%. A significant amount, yet so easily fixed with my top hydration tips as a helping hand. Not sure what to look out for? The main tell-tale sign of dehydration, aside from constant thirst, is dark coloured urine - which is your body's way of trying to increase intake and decrease water loss. Water is your best friend It sounds simple, and it is! Sipping on good old H2O replaces the loss of water which exits your body regularly in the form of sweat, often caused by those gruelling workouts. Not only that, but electrolytes often need replacing too... Replacing electrolytes Electrolytes are minerals that regulate the level of water in your body and include sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, chlorides, phosphates and iron. A regular gym session probably doesn't require a fancy sports drink, but long distance runners or those who train with great intensity would benefit from replenishing their electrolytes. They are usually maintained by a healthy diet of proteins, fruits and veggies, with coconut water and supermarket sports drinks being a good option also, though it's important to remember that water is still required! How much water? General guidelines suggest drinking two litres of water per day, though I'd suggest increasing this by 500ml per hour of intense training. Increase this again if you tend to sweat a lot when you exercise. When should I drink? Hydration should start well before you even set foot in the gym. A popular ‘go to’ drink first thing in the morning is a mug of coffee or tea, though try having a glass of water upon waking as well as your usual caffeine hit. You're most dehydrated when you wake up so replenishing your fluid levels can help to set you up for the day. Sipping little and often throughout the day will also significantly reduce bloating. Check your muscles Lean muscle tissue contains more than 75% water, so when the body is short on H2O muscles become more fatigued. Staying hydrated helps prevent the decline in performance (strength, power, aerobic capacity and anaerobic capacity) during exercise, and when your muscles feel too tired to finish a workout try drinking water and resting for a bit before getting back to it. Got a dry mouth? One of the first signs of dehydration is a dry mouth. If your mouth begins to feel like the Sahara, head to the water fountain or take a sip from your water bottle. A quick water break between sets can help prevent exercise-induced dehydration. Pinch yourself (yes, really!) Skin elasticity is its ability to change shape and return to normal, which is an easy way to check your hydration levels (though please not this is not 100% reliable for everyone). Using your forefinger and thumb, gently pinch the skin on the back of your hand and hold for a few seconds. If the skin takes a while to return to its normal position when you let go, you may be dehydrated. Feeling dizzy? Feeling light headed during a workout is a sign of dehydration and a signal to tone it down a notch. Though willpower sometimes makes us want to push ourselves through a few more reps with the weights or another mile on the treadmill, feeling dizzy is an indicator that it’s time to hydrate. Are you really hungry? One of the most common mistakes made is confusing thirst for hunger, making you reach for snacks when actually, you just need a cup of water. Make drinking water a habit The more you do it, the more natural it will become. As you get started remind yourself with notes or alarms, and try to carry a water bottle around with you as both a practical and visual aid. It'll soon become second nature to you! [caption id="attachment_641" align="aligncenter" width="150"]Carly Tierney Personal Trainer Guest post by PT & Media Fitness Expert Carly Yue.[/caption]