Taylor Lamb
EDET 703
Instructional Unit: Goal 2
Objective 2: Given the information, the athlete will be able to identify strategies to plan for combating dehydration
Objective 2: Key Term
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Total Body Water - is the total amount of fluid in the body expressed as a percentage of your total body weight.
Preventing Dehydration
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Indicators of hydration level status change: urine color, body weight change, and thirst.
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Measuring body weight changes will provide a reliable starting point to keep track of fluid loss/gain and should be monitored daily.
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Thirst is the body’s basic indicator for hydration level and an athlete should monitor these signals closely before, during and after exercise.
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As previously stated, listening to your body’s thirst indicators are the best way to know when fluid replacement is necessary.
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Measuring urine color gives an indication of the hydration level roughly 3-4 hours before the measurement was taken, which can give athletes an idea of whether they need to take in more fluids before exercise or not.
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Although pre-exercise hyperhydration provides little benefits to staying hydrated during exercise, post-exercise rehydration is the best way to prevent dehydration.
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After exercise, it is recommended to replace 100-150% of the fluid lost.
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The best way for an athlete to measure this is taking their body weight measurement before and after exercise.
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It is important to note that each person/type of athlete may have different hydration needs.
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The sporting equipment used and the time of year/weather also have a significant impact on hydration needs.