Sports Nutrition: Hydration
Drinking enough fluid is essential to athletic performance. Inadequate hydration can cause
athletes to fatigue early which hurts their performance. By 2% dehydration, one has reduced
their work capacity and impaired their athletic performance by 10-15%.
Determine if you’ve had enough fluid:
 Weigh yourself before and after a hard workout.
 Each pound lost represents one pound of sweat.
 For a 150 pound person, 2% dehydration = 3 pounds lost through the workout.
150 (weight in pounds) x 0.02 (percent dehydration) = 3 (pounds lost)
3 (pounds lost) / 150 (weight in pounds) = 0.02 (2%) (percent dehydration)
 Drink 2-3 cups of water to replace each pound lost.
 Goal: lose less than 2% of your weight.
Other ways to determine adequate fluid intake:
 Monitor volume: you should urinate every two to four hours during the day
 Monitor color: color of urine should be light yellow (like lemonade) or lighter
Fluids Before, During, and After Exercise
Type of Fluid
How Much/Amount
When
Water
2 cups
2 hours prior to exercise
Water
1-2 cups
5-10 minutes before exercise
Water
1 cup
Every 20 minutes during exercise
(under 1 hour of exercise)
Sports Drink
1 cup
Every 20 minutes during exercise
(exercise lasting longer than 1 hour)
Water
2-3 cups for every pound
lost during exercise
Within 30-60 minutes of exercise to
replenish sweat loss
Hannah Hokanson, R.D.
Campus Dietitian
Sodexo—SCSU
[email protected]