How to hydrate before a hike or any outdoor activities
The importance of hydration is something I learned from my husband Kaush when went on 3-full-days of hiking to Truchas Peak. Kaush explained how important it is to get hydrated before starting any physical activities, especially when trekking outdoors. When you feel thirsty to drink, it is a late sign of dehydration and it’s difficult to recover while walking and carrying heavy loads on your back. It’s something he learned from marathons and previous hikes. Evan Werk, MD, Banner Health sports medicine and family medicine physician, explained “You can never start hydration too early. A constant and consistent level of hydration will improve performance.”
We usually spend about 30 minutes at the trailhead to get our gears ready, put on sunscreen, and drink a whole bottle of water.
how to Pre-Hydrate
When we go on a long hike, we make sure we drink plenty of water every day for at least one week before the trip and stay away from salty and oily foods. We try to eat a good mix of complex carbs and fats so that our bodies can get energy quickly and keep nutrients longer. On the day of hike, we start drinking water consistently for 3-4 hours before we reach the trailhead. Then, we drink another bottle of water while we park and get ready to start hiking.
Tips to stay hydrated
During our first big hike to Truchas Peaks, Kaush made sure that we stop every 45 minutes to an hour to drink water and eat a very small amount snacks like mixed nuts and one piece of dried date or a few tiny pieces of dark chocolate with mixed nuts.
He told me that I should always drink water when I’m outside, even if I don’t feel thirsty. Sometimes we don’t realize we’re getting dehydrated until we suddenly feel very thirsty. This can cause body cramps and extra tiredness, which can put extra stress on our bodies.
