1. Drink up before

An hour before your workout, drink 8 to 12 ounces of water in preparation for all of the water you’re about to lose through sweat. Drink slowly, don’t gulp, and don’t forget!

2. BYOB (Bring Your Own Bottle)

Bringing your own bottle of water to the gym will save you the expense of having to buy one from their stock, and the thirsty disaster that can happen if you belong to a gym that doesn’t sell bottled water. As temping as it might be to wear your CamelBack to the gym, resist, and save it for your bike ride.

3. Sip between Sets

If you often don’t realize you’re dehydrated until after your workout, a good way to stay hydrated for the duration is to sip a little water (or Gatorade) between your sets. My personal trainer also recommends this little pause to quench your thirst and assess whether or not you can continue your workout.

4. To Chill or Not to Chill?

My personal trainer also recommends drinking water that’s only slightly below room temperature while working out. Why? Because water that’s too cold can cause cramping.

5. Bring Enough for the Duration

If you’re planning an hour-long cardio workout, make sure you bring a much larger bottle of water than you would for, say, a half-hour yoga class. Count on drinking at least 5 ounces for every 10 minutes you’re sweating.

6. Drink up after

When you’re done cooling off after your workout, drink another 8 to 10 ounces of cool water (or Gatorade) to rehydrate. Don’t gulp it down, or again, you could get cramps.

7. If You Forget…

What happens if you forget your bottle of water, and you start to feel dehydrated? Most gyms do have a drinking fountain, so use that… or, sip from the sink in the locker room… while these ways to stay hydrated sound germy, most gyms are very careful to keep these areas clean for just this purpose.

So no more dehydration at the gym, right? Which of these tips will you use to stay hydrated for your workout? Or do you have another way to stay hydrated you’d like to share?

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