Pre-Exercise: An average active female’s total daily fluid consumption should be around 91oz, while the average active males should come in around 125oz. These numbers represent our total water consumption; from both drink and food. We get about three quarters of our daily intake from drinking the other quarter comes from our food. Eating plenty of fresh or steamed vegetables and fresh fruit ensures plenty of fluid intake as well as other essential nutrients. With this in mind it isn’t necessary to force water down your throat, when you’re thirsty drink!

During exercise: A good baseline for fluid consumption while you ride is to drink 1 large bottle per hour of exercise. Quality sports drinks can help with this. Our sweat consists of more than just water. It takes vital minerals with it as well, generally referred to as electrolytes. A quality sports drink such as GU2O or Eload replenishes our water levels as well as our electrolytes. This helps us maintain a higher energy output for longer!! The slightly salty taste also keeps the body wanting fluid helping to maintain that bottle/hour guideline.

Post exercise: It’s shocking how much water weight you can lose in a single exercise session! Elite athletes will weigh themselves before and after a ride. Ensuring the take in enough fluid post ride to replenish any water weight lost during the ride. For water there is about 16fl. Oz/lb. Ideally, if you lost 1.5 lbs during your ride you would drink 24 oz (16 x 1.5=24) of water in the first 2 hours immediately following the ride.

Ride, have fun, drink water!!

Keep the wheels down,
Zen Master J