Surfing is awesome, but it can dry you out. The sun, salt water, and all that paddling and maneuvering can leave you dehydrated in no time. Staying hydrated is super important for surfers, not just because you need water to live, but because it lets you surf better and feel great while you're at it.
You might not realize how much you're sweating while you're in the ocean. Also, you can't just stop surfing to grab a drink.
We're going to discuss why hydration is so important for surfing, and how to make sure you're getting enough water so you can catch those perfect waves. So, before you head out, grab that extra bottle of water – trust us, it makes a huge difference!
Hydrating for Surfing
Staying hydrated for surfing isn't just about chugging a few glasses of water before you hit the waves. It's a whole-day game, and it takes a little planning to make sure you're getting enough.
Since surfers are athletes, staying hydrated is even more important and the timing of water intake is just as important as the amount.
To start, figure out how much water you should be drinking in a day. Multiply your weight in kilograms by 0.033. That's the general amount of water you need as an athlete. For example, a 70 kg person needs about 2.3 liters of water per day.
It's a lot, but it really makes a difference! Even a little dehydration can slow you down.
On a regular day, spread out your water intake throughout the day. But if you're going surfing or exercising, it's a bit different:
- 4 Hours Before Surfing: Drink at least 550 milliliters of water.
- During Your Session: Take a break every hour or so to drink water. You'll need around 450-550 milliliters each hour, depending on how hard you're working.
- After Surfing: Weigh yourself before and after surfing to see how much water you lost. Drink about 1.5 liters of water for every kilogram lost. Since most of us don't weigh ourselves every time, just aim to drink another 550 milliliters every two hours.
The rest of your daily water intake should be spread out before and after those surfing sessions. Remember, hydration is key to your surfing performance. It's worth making sure you're doing it right!
The Full Hydration Picture
Staying hydrated for surfing goes beyond just drinking water. You also lose important vitamins and minerals when you sweat, so you need to replace those too. Electrolytes are especially important.
This means you need to eat the right foods and drink other things besides water to stay fully hydrated. A little natural sugar is good for your energy levels since hydration and energy go hand-in-hand.
Great Electrolyte Sources:
- Coconut Water: This is packed with potassium, a key electrolyte for hydration.
- Milk or Nut Milk: Dairy milk is high in calcium, another important electrolyte. Some nut milks are also good sources.
- Sports Drinks: These are made for athletes and often include the vitamins and minerals you lose while surfing. Just look for healthy ones, low in sugar and artificial ingredients.
- Electrolyte Water: A simple way to get the electrolytes you need, without any flavor.
Foods for Hydration:
- Bananas: A top source of potassium, essential for hydration.
- Watermelon: The perfect pre-surf snack! It's full of water, potassium, and natural sugar for energy.
- Avocados: Don't underestimate avocados for hydration. A little avocado toast in the morning is a good way to get potassium.
- Yogurt: Yogurt is rich in calcium.
- Spinach: Popeye wasn't just strong because of spinach, it's also good for hydration.
- All Other Fruits: Most fruits contain water and natural sugar, making them good for hydration.
5 Tips for Staying Hydrated and Surfing Your Best
We've talked about how much water you need and other great hydration sources. But the truth is, staying hydrated takes effort and consistency. It's not something that happens overnight!
Surfers are athletes, and that means we need to drink a lot of water, all day long. It's not just about a big glass of water here and there. It's about making hydration a regular part of your routine.
#1 Start Your Day with a Morning Chug
When you wake up, kickstart your day with a big glass of water. Do it before your morning coffee or tea. Make it a ritual! Drinking water first thing in the morning helps replenish fluids lost during sleep and can give you a boost of energy, just like caffeine.
#2 A Reusable Water Bottle
Get yourself a good, reusable water bottle. Not only is it good for the planet, but it helps you stay hydrated! Figure out exactly how many liters your bottle holds. This will help you calculate how many times you need to refill it throughout the day.
Setting a goal for yourself, like filling it up three times, can make it easier to stick to your hydration plan.
On top of that, you'll be cutting down on plastic waste.
#3 Flavor Your Water
You don't have to sacrifice flavor just because you're drinking water! Find some flavor drops that you love – there are even some that add electrolytes. Make your water taste great so you're excited to drink it.
You can also try adding fruit slices to your water for a little extra flavor and hydration. Just be prepared for your friends to give you a hard time if they see strawberries and cucumbers floating in your bottle.
#4 Hydrate with Food and Other Drinks
We've talked about foods like bananas, yogurt, and watermelon that are packed with electrolytes and water. Eat those foods! The more fruit the better, since they're mostly water, and your body absorbs that water during digestion.
Keep in mind other drinks too! They help break up the monotony of plain water, and let's face it, a little variety makes life more fun.
#5 Less Sugar, Less Alcohol!
When it comes to staying hydrated, sugar and alcohol are your enemies. A healthy diet should have no more than 50 grams of sugar per day, and you should try to stay below that. If you do eat sugar, do it before you exercise so you have energy.
Remember, there's a difference between natural sugars in fruit and processed sugars. Go for the natural stuff whenever possible! Sugar can clog your bloodstream and make you more dehydrated, so you need to drink even more water to flush it out.
Alcohol is the ultimate dehydrator. We're not saying you can't enjoy a post-surf beer, but keep your alcohol consumption moderate and always drink extra water to counteract the effects.
The simplest, most important tip is to drink more water! It takes effort to stay hydrated, but the more you focus on it, the better you'll get. Just keep drinking!