Fueling and hydrating your workouts

Water accounts for 60% of your total body weight and serves as a solvent for vitamins, minerals, amino acids, and glucose. Water enables your body to properly digest nutrients from foods. Dehydration causes fatigue, decreases mental function and has a negative impact on strength. Thirst is a severe indicator of dehydration and must be avoided. Hydrating throughout the day especially during workouts will aid your body into optimal growth.

If you're a weight lifter on a mass building schedule or play a endurance sport and want to maximize your workouts start by taking in the right amount of carbohydrates before, and during and after in efforts to maximize muscle growth. A small meal consisting of 50 grams of carbohydrates, and 20 grams of protein, should be taken 2 hours before your workouts. Drink 2 cups of waters within 2 hours prior to your workout. Drink another cup of water 15 minutes before your workout. A good source of carbohydrates prior to your workout are sports drinks, such as gatorade and powerade. During strength training drink 1 cup of water every 10 to 20 minutes.

For a individual trying to shed body fat he or she should take in about 25 grams and 14 grams of protein 2 hours before workout. Drink 2 cups of waters within 2 hours prior to your workout. Drink another cup 15 minutes pre-workout. During strength training drink 1 cup of water every 10 to 20 minutes. Drinking more water can help you stay lean. The kidneys use water to filter waste product out of your body.

Strength training depletes glycogen from your muscles, it's beneficial to take in carbohydrates if your train longer than 60 minutes. to prevent muscle breakdown. Replenishing properly will aid your muscles to a quicker recovery.

Keep track of your body composition by measuring yourself with a body fat caliper on a weekly basis. The more you know about your body, the closer you are in achieving your goal.