Health fitness and performance is generally what the average fitness minded participant seeks. With that in mind, there is a very simple strategy you can use to help maximize fitness performance. After all, don't you want to get the best result from your invested time? This simple sports nutrition strategy promotes optimal hydration.

Studies reveal that 46% of fitness participants do not practice optimal hydration. The fitness participants who are not sufficiently hydrated are more likely to have health fitness and performance challenges. That is, they simply are not able to exercise at the same efficiency level someone who is optimally hydrated can. What suffers most is intensity, and duration of exercise training.

Some researchers suggest those constantly operating out of hydration balance may show a greater risk of kidney stones, infections, cancer, and other unpleasant diseases. Among all these particular health consequences there is also a decrease in athletic performance which leads to rather poor physical fitness results.

Are you drinking enough fluid to positively alter your health fitness and performance? The average sedentary human being drinks about 16 cups (men), and 11 cups (women) of fluid each day. Now the keyword here is sedentary. If you are an exercise workout warrior training at high levels of intensity, in a hot environment, you will most definitely need to keep an close eye on your hydration. According to current research studies, sedentary people have a tendency to receive enough fluid. It is the exercise participants who are really the ones at risk.

Do you ever remember working out on a piece of cardiovascular fitness equipment in the gym on a hot, humid day? I am certain you then walked out of the exercise room with your shirt drenched. It should be your objective to replace all your lost fluid. Another aspect to consider is your genetics. Some people are more prone to perspiring. Therefore, hydration is of certain for an individual such as this.

If you walk into the gym not properly hydrated, and continue to dehydrate yourself even more by perspiring throughout the whole workout, there are many physiological ramifications that can result. Your fitness performance and results will suffer due to a reduction in blood volume, thicker blood, an increased heart rate, and greater difficulty for your body to get rid of heat.

So how do you maintain optimal hydration during workout sessions? Below I have listed the top strategies to maintain optimal hydration, thus, improving your health fitness and performance.

1. Make sure you are sufficiently hydrated prior to beginning your fitness workout. A real good rule of thumb is to observe the color of your urine. If your urine is dark like apple juice, you are not adequately hydrated. Very white, like water, is a sign of over hydration. However, if your urine is pale, not dark, you are most likely in water balance.

2. During exercise, pay close attention to the amount of fluid you lose. It is important to replace lost fluids during the fitness training session. Yes, you can wait until after exercise, but your health fitness and performance will thank you if you consume fluids while training.

3. Don't wait until you get thirsty. I recommend consuming a small amount of fluids prior to, during, and following intense physical activity. Your bodyweight should be close to the same before, during, and after workouts.

4. The higher the exercise workout intensity, and duration, the more fluids are required for hydration. Pay close attention to your perspiration rate, and the certain weather conditions that promote greater perspiration.

What are the best fluids to consume for maintaining optimal water balance? The general rule of thumb is low intensity exercises like walking in mild weather calls for water only. When exercise demand is increased to moderate levels, fitness water is recommended for peak health fitness and performance. When your exercise demands are very high, sports drinks such as Gatorade are the optimal hydration fuel. Sports drinks are comprised of a small amount of carbohydrates, electrolytes, and flavor enhancers. Thus, the higher the exercise intensity, duration, environmental conditions, and sweat rate, the more concentrated fluid is needed for replenishment. Not all hydration products are created equal. So pick the ones for the proper exercise demands, and sweat loss. Your goals should be to only replace the fluid lost. Don't over saturate yourself with fluids.


Health fitness and performance can be improved as long as you follow such simple, yet powerful, things as optimal water balance. By focusing on your hydration you can assure yourself that you are putting forth your best fitness workout performance. Drink up, and watch your results skyrocket.

Jim O'Connor, a celebrity exercise physiologist, empowers people to get great fitness results through his multimedia online newsletter called Wellness Word. You too can tap into Jim's expertise by receiving his results producing fitness articles every other week. Don't forget to signup for his free fitness workout mini-course on how to get twice the fitness results in half the time.