Water, Water Everywhere: Staying Hydrated

Don't let something as simple as water get in the way of your best workout. Getting and staying hydrated is a fundamental part of exercise. It keeps you performing at your best, but if you forget your body will surely let you know.

Dehydration during exercise can cause a dramatic drop in blood pressure and that can lead to faintness, nausea and dizziness. So how to stay hydrated?

• Drink 8-16 ounces of water before your workout.
• Drink another 8 ounces every 15 minutes, if possible, during your workout. Keep water handy.
• Drink another 16-20 ounces to replace the water you lost through sweating.

Of course, this is on top of the 8 glasses of water you should already be drinking every day.

Sometimes this much water can get a little boring, but you can always jazz up your water with some orange or lemon slices, sprigs of lavender or cucumber slices. This variation of flavored water is far better for you than sports drinks or diet sodas.

What do you do to stay hydrated?