LIVERPOOL -- This sweltering Syracuse summer has seen the thermometer top 90 degrees over 20 times, with plenty more heat and humidity on the way. You’ll often hear us CNY Central First Alert Meteorologists reminding you to stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water.
Well, just how much water is enough? I hit up the Onondaga Lake Park to get the early morning crowd’s opinion on this matter.
Mark Mosher of Liverpool tells me: “At least six glasses, but I'll tell ya on these hot days I'd say you’re drinking a lot more than that. If I don't drink at least a gallon or more, of water every day, you're gonna feel it."
Tess Hunter, also of Liverpool, had this to say. “I drink at least eight bottles of water, so at least that.”
It turns out there’s no universal guideline. However, there is one easy way to figure out your proper hydration requirements. Weigh yourself before working out. Hydrate along the way, then weigh yourself immediately following your exercise. Do you weigh less? If so, that means you need to drink more water.
Here’s where it gets a bit tricky: if you weigh yourself, and you end up weighing more, that means you drank too much water. Believe it or not, this is just as dangerous as under-hydrating. Drinking too much water can produce a potentially fatal condition where your blood sodium is too low, called hyponatremia.
So, what is an outdoor enthusiast to do in this heat and humidity? If you intend to exercise intensely, or for greater than one hour, you may want to consider adding in a sports drink. This will help maintain a safe electrolyte balance (such as your sodium levels) in your blood. And of course, always consult your doctor before beginning, or modifying your workout routine.
