What to do after exercising... Part 2

Thanks for all your comments last week about what you like to eat after exercise. I guess I should have expected the chocolate, crisps and wine ideas...!

​Anyway, this week is all about staying hydrated. In my fitness classes, I encourage a drink after every track, so usually about every 4 minutes. Just a sip is fine, as gulping down lots of water in one go can feel bloating and sloshy. ​Topping up on water stops you being dehydrated, which can affect your energy levels. Your muscle cells are almost three-quarters water so if you're short on fluids, things can feel more difficult. The amount you need to drink will depend on how much you sweat and how long you exercise for. The best way to figure out how much to drink is to respond to what your body tells you. Simply put, if you feel thirsty, drink.

​After a workout, your body will be ready for a drink as this will be refreshing and it will also restore your fluid levels and help your muscles to recover. The sooner you start to replace the fluid, the sooner you’ll recover. Water is great and as I mentioned last week, chocolate milk can work too. (The aim is to keep it non-alcoholic, obviously! Which reminds me, I heard a great new word recently: 'soberista', to describe being a non-drinker, rather than tee-totaller. Like it!)