Consistent energy and fluid intake can take some effort to incorporate into a busy lifestyle, but it is worth it to make the most of your physical activity. Use these tips to determine the greatest gaps in your fueling routine and start with 1-3 changes at a time until they become habits.

• Aim for a daily intake of half your body weight in ounces (for example, a 150-lb person may want to aim for 75+oz of water a day); on average, active females are recommended to consume 80-100oz fluid/day and active males are recommended to consume 100-130oz fluid/day

• Pair the majority of your intake with meals and snacks to promote fluid absorption
• It’s important to prioritize water, but herbal tea, juice, seltzer water, fruits/vegetables, soups, milk, etc. can also be hydrating
• To help you drink more, consider how you prefer to drink water—cold vs. hot, flavored vs. unflavored, in a cup vs. bottle; drinking through a straw can increase your intake; if you forget to drink water, keep it nearby in a form that is appetizing to you and have reminders if needed
• If you’re a heavy sweater, you’re working out intensely for >45 minutes and/or are training in the heat, add electrolytes to your bottle (at least 300-500mg sodium per hour of sweating, some salty sweaters need closer to 800mg+ per hour)
• You may be a salty sweater if you: notice salt crystals on your skin/clothing, have sweat that burns your eyes/tastes salty, or experience headaches/dizziness regularly after heavy sweating
• Aim to consume 16-24oz fluid in the 2-3 hours prior to exercise (incorporate electrolytes if anticipating heavy sweating/out in the heat)
• If workout is >1 hour, drink sports drink rather than water during exercise

•  In the 2-4 hours prior to a workout, incorporate a carbohydrate-rich meal that has 1-2 fists of a starchy food such as rice, pasta, potatoes, bread, or cereal
• In the 15-45 minutes before a workout, have an easy-to-digest carb-based snack that is 30-50g carbohydrate from grain and/or fruit-based sources (examples below)
• Depending on the activity you are doing and how sensitive your stomach is, you may want to consider avoiding high-fiber foods and high-fat foods within the 1-2 hours prior to exercise; cardio-heavy exercise is generally more jarring to the GI tract, making it more sensitive to heavier foods
  • Examples of 30g+ easy carbs:
    • Graham crackers (3 sheets)
    • Applesauce (1.5c)
    • 1 medium banana
    • 1 slice of toast with butter and 1tsp honey
    • Pretzels (2oz)
    • 1-1.5 Nature valley granola bar packets
    • 1 Clif bar
    • 1-1.5c honey nut Cheerios
    • Nature’s bakery fig bars (1 packet)
    • Goldfish (~2 servings/100pcs)
    • Juice (8-12oz)

• Within 30-60 minutes of finishing a workout, it’s ideal to recover with your next meal or an easily digested protein/carb-rich snack that will carry you to your next meal. You generally want to aim for 1-2 fists of carbs from grain or fruit-based sources (or 40-80g on average) paired with 1-2 palms pf a protein (or 20-40g). Complete protein sources such as Greek yogurt, chicken, fish, eggs, beef, edamame, milk, etc. are recommended.
• Protein is best absorbed when paired with a carbohydrate, but many protein powders are formulated to be low-carbohydrate. If consuming a protein supplement such as a bar or shake, check the nutrition facts label to make sure there are at least 30g carbs per serving; if not, pair it with 1-2 fists of fruit or grain such as a banana, pretzels, granola bar, rice or toast to ensure maximal absorption.
• If appetite is low following a workout (more likely if high-intensity or performed in the heat), try sipping on a protein/carb-rich beverage such as a Greek yogurt/fruit smoothie to regulate your temperature, hydrate, and re-fuel all in one swig!
• Strawberry banana recovery smoothie:
  • 1 cup whole frozen strawberries about 10 large berries or mixed berries of choice
  • 1 medium ripe banana peeled and cut in half
  • ¾ cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt
  • 2 tablespoons oatmeal
  • 1 tablespoon peanut butter or almond butter
  • 1 to 2 teaspoons honey
  • Cow’s milk as needed

McKenna Welshans, MBA, RD, LD, ACSM-EP, CSCS, CSSD