# Staying hydrated



## Badger1777 (Aug 16, 2014)

Hello all.

A hopefully simple question: How do you stay hydrated? I don't mean the obvious, ie just drink plenty. That doesn't work for me. I have to drink way more than the recommended amounts, and more frequently too. I sweat too much. I seem to be completely unable to retain water at any rate that might be called normal. instead, even when I'm not even pushing myself really hard, ie when my breathing is a bit faster and deeper than at rest, but I'm not out of breath, yet I'll just gush sweat, dehydrate, go a bit faint, and have to make a conscious effort to remind myself to drink more often than most people need to, otherwise, as once actually happened, there is a risk I will just pass out and collapse.

I've been tested for diabetes and had blood tests for all sorts (I've spoke to the doctors about this), and been told that I'm medically fit, I just need to drink more.


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## seasoned (Aug 16, 2014)

when you drink your water take a pinch or two of Himalayan pink salt which will help you to retain the water longer. Himalayan pink salt is much more pure and will not affect your health adversely like Plain table salt.


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## donald1 (Aug 16, 2014)

I would also recommend Gatorade,  helps with the electrolytes water is good but you also need electrolytes when you exercise


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## Badger1777 (Aug 17, 2014)

seasoned said:


> when you drink your water take a pinch or two of Himalayan pink salt which will help you to retain the water longer. Himalayan pink salt is much more pure and will not affect your health adversely like Plain table salt.



I've just had a read up on Himalayan salt. It sounds like amazing stuff, if it is all it its claimed to be. I think I'll give it a try.


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## Tony Dismukes (Aug 17, 2014)

Badger1777 said:


> Hello all.
> 
> A hopefully simple question: How do you stay hydrated? I don't mean the obvious, ie just drink plenty. That doesn't work for me. I have to drink way more than the recommended amounts, and more frequently too. I sweat too much. I seem to be completely unable to retain water at any rate that might be called normal. instead, even when I'm not even pushing myself really hard, ie when my breathing is a bit faster and deeper than at rest, but I'm not out of breath, yet I'll just gush sweat, dehydrate, go a bit faint, and have to make a conscious effort to remind myself to drink more often than most people need to, otherwise, as once actually happened, there is a risk I will just pass out and collapse.
> 
> I've been tested for diabetes and had blood tests for all sorts (I've spoke to the doctors about this), and been told that I'm medically fit, I just need to drink more.



Make sure you aren't waiting until your workout to start hydrating. My gym is a repurposed warehouse with no air conditioning. During the summer it's frequently 90+ degrees (farenheit) outside and significantly hotter and more humid inside where we're working out. I'm 50 years old practicing a very physical art (BJJ). If I wait until class to start guzzling water, it's too late. I can't absorb the water as fast as I'm sweating it out. What I have to do is start much earlier in the day. If I'm going to a 6:00 class, I start guzzling liquids around noon and try to have about 3 quarts of Gatorade and/or water in me before I arrive at the gym. (Once I'm there I still go through another 1-2 quarts during the course of my workout.)


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## Badger1777 (Aug 18, 2014)

Tony Dismukes said:


> Make sure you aren't waiting until your workout to start hydrating. My gym is a repurposed warehouse with no air conditioning. During the summer it's frequently 90+ degrees (farenheit) outside and significantly hotter and more humid inside where we're working out. I'm 50 years old practicing a very physical art (BJJ). If I wait until class to start guzzling water, it's too late. I can't absorb the water as fast as I'm sweating it out. What I have to do is start much earlier in the day. If I'm going to a 6:00 class, I start guzzling liquids around noon and try to have about 3 quarts of Gatorade and/or water in me before I arrive at the gym. (Once I'm there I still go through another 1-2 quarts during the course of my workout.)



Thanks, this is good advice, but in my case, well I already drink loads throughout the day. My problem is that I seem unable to retain water. If I drink too much, all that happens is training is interrupted by me needing to use the toilet. I've actually figured that I can take it to the point where I'm just starting to need to pee, and then my bladder acts as a kind of extra reservoir, so as I train, it gets reabsorbed so I can last maybe 10 minutes longer than I otherwise would have before I need to stop for a drink.

It is so bad that on many occassions I've been talked into being tested for diabetes. Every once in a while, someone will say "how much water do you get through? how often do you go to the toilet? have you been tested for diabetes?". I get convinced that I should be tested again, all tests check out fine. Last November I actually collapsed with dehydration after some fairly intense exercise (ok, I was very unfit then compared to now). I recovered quickly after downing several cups of water. I then had a full range of blood tests and cardio tests done, looking for all sorts of possible causes. Nothing was found. According to the doctor's computer, I'm in tip top condition. I just cant retain fluids for some reason. It could be genetic as my mum is the same, but my dad on the other hand can work for hours in the sunshine on nothing more than a couple of cups of tea.


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## Carol (Aug 18, 2014)

Hi Badger, welcome to Martial Talk!  :asian:

I have similar issues.   I lose a ton of water through sweat.   I'm also a volunteer park ranger who patrols 20-25 hours/week so hydration is a huge deal.  

A couple big points:

- Drink AND eat before training.  You don't have to have a huge meal, it could be something as simple as eating a protein bar with a bottle of water 20 minutes before class starts.  Training can momentarily lower your glucose levels, which results in even more sweating.  Having some carbs in your system will help minimize the glucose drop, and will likely give you a better workout too.    

- Hydrate during training.  Keep a bottle of water or a Nalgene nearby and sip from it throughout your training.  If you're in a martial arts class, let your teacher know about your situation.  Gatorade has glucose, so drinking some during class may help as well.   I use Nuun tablets in my water instead of Gatorade, and some folks even make their own Gatorade-type drink with water, unsweetened Koolade, sugar, salt (love the Himalayan pink salt!), and a salt-substitute like No-Salt (provides potassium)


Some folks keep a food diary to write down what they eat, and how they feel after eating it.  If you do this, you may find that some types of foods make you feel worse/better than others.   It might not hurt to log whether some training situations are better than others as well.   It sounds like you've gotten in to better shape over the last year -- congratulations!  I suspect that as your fitness improves even more, you'll find that your situation improves even more as well.


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## Badger1777 (Aug 20, 2014)

Thanks for all the good advice folks.

Is there a way I can train myself to not need such huge amounts of water? I recognise the importance of hydration, but I seem to need a lot more than most. I'd like to train myself to hold water better.

I'm not military, but I understand that part of army training is to go on exercises with a deliberate lack of food and water, to train the body to go longer without food and drink, as of course might be necessary in the harsh situation of war. I don't plan to go to war, but it I wonder if there is some safe practice I could try that might make my body hold onto fluids better. Our local (NHS) advice is 2 litres of water (or juice) per day. I will go through 2 litres in an hour during intense physical activity.


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## Carol (Aug 20, 2014)

Badger1777 said:


> Thanks for all the good advice folks.
> 
> Is there a way I can train myself to not need such huge amounts of water? I recognise the importance of hydration, but I seem to need a lot more than most. I'd like to train myself to hold water better.
> 
> I'm not military, but I understand that part of army training is to go on exercises with a deliberate lack of food and water, to train the body to go longer without food and drink, as of course might be necessary in the harsh situation of war. I don't plan to go to war, but it I wonder if there is some safe practice I could try that might make my body hold onto fluids better. Our local (NHS) advice is 2 litres of water (or juice) per day. I will go through 2 litres in an hour during intense physical activity.



Keep training.   Your need for water will decrease as your fitness, particularly your cardio, improves.


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## Badger1777 (Aug 30, 2014)

Carol said:


> Keep training.   Your need for water will decrease as your fitness, particularly your cardio, improves.



I think you're right you know. The last couple of weeks, I've been getting through less juice during training.


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## PhotonGuy (Oct 18, 2014)

Badger1777 said:


> I think you're right you know. The last couple of weeks, I've been getting through less juice during training.



Instead of juice have you tried drinking good plain water? I would recommend spring water or distilled water over tap water.


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## MaxRob (Oct 19, 2014)

We are all different and need to find our solutions those that suit us best  and keep searching you will find it.
i also am a tennis fan and you can see same issues here the great Rafael Nadal is often in a sweat drip drip scenario, he uses pure water, bananas, and some electrolyte mixture in between sets....


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## K-man (Oct 19, 2014)

MaxRob said:


> We are all different and need to find our solutions those that suit us best  and keep searching you will find it.
> i also am a tennis fan and you can see same issues here the great Rafael Nadal is often in a sweat drip drip scenario, he uses pure water, bananas, and some electrolyte mixture in between sets....


I'm not sure that Nadal is the best to use as an example. His games can last for hours in really hot conditions. In those situations it is imperative that you have electrolyte replacement. Bananas are giving him potassium to help ward off cramps. Pure water alone here would be inappropriate. In most of our training, water is all we need. 
:asian:


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## MaxRob (Mar 10, 2015)

I


K-man said:


> I'm not sure that Nadal is the best to use as an example. His games can last for hours in really hot conditions. In those situations it is imperative that you have electrolyte replacement. Bananas are giving him potassium to help ward off cramps. Pure water alone here would be inappropriate. In most of our training, water is all we need.
> :asian:



It depends on your training.....


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## K-man (Mar 11, 2015)

MaxRob said:


> I
> 
> 
> It depends on your training.....


Years ago we were taught if you weren't working in a foundry you didn't need electrolyte replacement. Professional sportsmen, maybe ... the average person, stick to water.


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## Dirty Dog (Mar 11, 2015)

K-man said:


> Years ago we were taught if you weren't working in a foundry you didn't need electrolyte replacement. Professional sportsmen, maybe ... the average person, stick to water.



This is correct. Unless you're a professional athlete engaged in full-day hard core workouts, you are not going to sweat enough to cause any significant electrolyte imbalance. If you're drinking an electrolyte drink because you think it's tasty, then fine. But they're basically just expensive urine.


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## MaxRob (Mar 12, 2015)

Point well taken, but in its pure form self defense is also situational.
Not just in the Jim.
Running in the field,out in the wild depending very much where one lives and where danger may be, avoidance, and I like to keep some form of athletic fitness. One day you may need to outrun your adversary.
Confrontation is the the last thing at least for me.
Thanks appreciated your reply.


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