A Little Dehydration Has a Big Impact

If you want to perform at your best in sport or exercise, you've got to keep your body adequately hydrated throughout your activity. Sweating away even just 1 percent of your body weight (a pound and a half for a 150-pound person) can place added stress on your cardiovascular system. Losing 2-3 percent of your weight can impair your physical performance. Dehydration can also affect your mental sharpness and hand-eye coordination putting you at a disadvantage on the court, playing field or other competitive arena. The American College of Sports Medicine recommends the following guidelines for keeping the body hydrated:

• BEFORE PHYSICAL ACTIVITY: Drink at least 16 ounces of fluid about two hours beforehand.
• DURING ACTIVITY: Drink 5 to 10 ounces every 15 to 20 minutes.
• AFTER ACTIVITY: Drink 16 ounces for each pound of body weight lost during activity.