It has been a lovely winter so far, right readers (sarcasm)? And while it is a challenge to get outdoors or to the gym in the frigid temps, it is a great benefit to do so. In fact, exercising during the winter has a lot of benefits; perhaps even more so than at other times of the year. You use more energy in the winter. You expend more calories. And due to winter sports such as skiing, sledding and snowshoeing, you have other options for exercise. Trust me, I know that working out in the winter can be a motivational hurdle. The cold weather and shortage of daylight are tough enough. Plus, it's so nice to stay in bed when you hear that wind howling. Even still, you know that it's wiser to stay active during winter due to holiday weight gain and winter blues. If you opt to brave the cold, you need to know how to stay hydrated. Experts have found it is easier to get dehydrated in cooler temperatures. I personally struggle with this in fact. I am not proud to admit it, but I have a very low thirst mechanism. I "feel" my body requires a lot less fluids than others during and after workouts, yet I know that I have often found myself feeling dehydrated as a result. Here are some tips to prevent it from happening to you.

Typically, working out gets you sweaty. Sweating sends signals to the brain that you need to hydrate. On the other hand, cold weather workouts can literally leave you cold. It's harder to break into a sweat in cold weather. It may prevent you from perceiving that you need water. Therefore people are generally lax in drinking water this time of year and you may get dehydrated and not even know it. Immediate symptoms of dehydration include dry mouth, dark colored urine, muscle weakness, heightened heart rate, faster breathing, fatigue and headache. You may even develop a fever; or god forbid worse. This happens when you have a 5% fluid loss. You wouldn't want to increase your fluid loss further.

An interesting paragraph I found on www.sectionhiker.com site:

Dehydration is accelerated in cold weather or at higher altitudes because the air we breathe is drier. Normally, people lose between one to two quarts of water a day via evaporation from the lungs. When we breathe, our bodies humidify dry air and heat it up to our body's temperature, which is why your exhalations look like fog in cold weather.

In cold weather, your body has to work harder to humidify the air you breathe and to warm it up, meaning that you need to drink more water and eat more if you are outdoors. A good rule of thumb is to drink at least 4 quarts of water a day, but many people will drink twice that under high exertion levels or over 10,000 feet of altitude.

Avoid caffeinated drinks like coffee and tea (again a BIG flaw of mine. As every morning client of mine knows, I love my coffee; Do as I say on this article, not as I do!). Caffeine is a diuretic so it increases urine flow. It facilitates removal of fluids from the body. Diuretics make you more prone to dehydration.

Even if you're not thirsty, drink up. Make it a habit to hydrate every 2 hours. That way, you'll be sure you're getting enough fluids. There will be times, even during cold weather that you'll get thirsty. Stop working out and quench your thirst. If you are outdoors, either carry your own fluids (such as a Fuel Belt or Camel Back) or go in an area that has fluid sources (I often go to Butler campus for example). Try not to go more than 20-30 minutes during exercise to take a drink break and of course have one to two cups before and after.

Much to the disbelief of many, exercising outdoors this time of year is actually awesome! If you wear the right clothing, regardless of the temperatures, you can feel comfortable. Once you get going, you will be so glad that you did and will get a chance to take in all of the winter scenery! Just keep pumping the fluids 😄