Now, how about some fluids with that?

Hey :) Guest blogger shake here again.  I'm starting this post off with inspiration taken from the recent storm.  Thursday's storm inspired me to think of water, which can translate to fluids, which then becomes... urine.  Ha ha ha.  It's been a long week.

Monitor Your Fluid Losses

(Coaching Association of Canada. 2012)

[- well hydrated = light coloured urine

- need more fluid = dark, scant urine]

How? 

- Weigh yourself before & right after exercise 

          - Monitoring changes in body weight, and fluid losses allows you to estimate your sweat rate.

          *Sweat rate can range from 0.4-1.8L/hour (depending on the person, sport type and weather conditions)

Steps:

1.) Weight loss: 60 kg - 59 kg = 1kg lost

2.) Conversion: 1 kg lost = 1 L fluid lost

3.) Total fluids: 1 L fluid consumed + 1 L fluid lost = 2 L total sweat loss

4.) Sweat rate: 2 L sweat loss divided by 2 hours = 1 L of sweat per hour of practice

Conversions:

1 kg weight loss = 1 L of fluid

250 mL = 1 cup = 8 fluid ounces

1 L = 4 cups = 32 fluid ounces

1 kg = 2.2 lbs

          - For example: if someone weighed 60 kg before practice, weighed 59 kg after practice, and during a two hour practice drank 1 L of water - this person's sweat rate would be approximately 1 L per hour of practice.  

          - In order to limit weight loss to 1-2 pounds, this person from the example should try to consume approximately 1 L per hour of practice.

Fluids before exercise:

Try to consume enough fluid daily, in aims to maintain: 

1. weight 

2. adequate urine output

4 hours before exercise: drink 5-7 mL/kg of your body weight (300-500mL)

2 hours before exercise - if you haven't produced urine or if it's still bright yellow: drink 3-5mL/kg of your body weight (150-350mL)

Fluids during exercise:

Every 1 hour: consume about 0.4-0.8 L of fluid 

(130-250 mL / 20 minutes)

Fluids after exercise:

Replace fluid and electrolyte deficits. 

Include sodium with foods or fluids (helps to maintain the plasma electrolyte balance).

Remember, more than 2-3 pounds in weight lost = significant dehydration

          *takes 24-48 hours for complete recovery from this

You can make a fluid replacement drink by mixing:

500 mL unsweetened orange juice

500 mL of water

1.25-1.75 mL of salt

When you travel, remember that in tap water, there are variations in bacteria which can cause gastro-intestinal upset.  Essentially, if you add ice to fluids, it's the same as adding tap water with possible variations in bacteria.

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Happy Blurbs From This Week

Thursday

I normally love refereeing in the rain, but this time it was so ice-like that it felt more like torture.  I kept waiting for hail to start.  Cue the chorus "hummmmm...first world pains".  The "happy" that came out of this game though, was after overcoming perplexity, the revelation that I was assigned to Neil's line!      

Friday

I had a women's div one game, with the Hynes brothers working well on the line.  It was a very enjoyable game to referee, so much so, that I was disappointed the halves were cut to thirty-five minutes instead of the normal forty-five minutes.  

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Evening Rumination

Reading one of my favourite sport books, and this just illuminated the print from the page tonight:

"Grant me the courage to change what I can,

The serenity to accept what I cannot,

and the wisdom to know the difference."

It helped me to remember.