pf hydration log

personalhydrationmonitoring log

www.performancefood.co.uk helping sports performers use food to optimise performance during training and competition

The Performance food hydration monitoring

logs have been extensively used with elite

athletes and sports people and have been

scientifically shown to be a simple and

effective tool to monitor hydration status

as well as providing sports performers with

a useful guide to how much they need to

drink under different conditions.

at a glance...

how much do I need to drinkestimating sweat loss

estimating fluid intakestandard portion sizes of different containers for drinks

recording the volume and colour of urinemonitoring urine coloururine colour chart

am I drinking enoughcan I drink too muchfluid replacement - some practical points

personal hydration monitoring log

how much do I need to drink?

This is one of the most common questions asked by athletes and sports people. Everybody sweats at different rates, so it is essential that a personal drinking plan is devised to match fluid lost when exercising under different environmental conditions.

The performance food personal hydration monitoring logs have been designed to help athletes and sports people assess individual fluid requirements and optimise hydration.

The logs will benefit athletes and sports people by enabling them to use simple checks to:

Assess individual fluid requirements under a variety of conditions.

Match sweat losses during exercise with the appropriate amount of fluid.

Recognised signs of dehydration at an early stage in order that fluid intake can be adjusted to prevent progressive dehydration occurring.

As exercise performance can be impaired by as little as a 2% body weight loss, being aware of hydration status is extremely important, especially during competition periods.

estimating sweat loss

You will need access to an accurate set of scales to weigh yourself immediately before and after exercise and to monitor morning body mass on a daily basis.

1. Weigh yourself prior to breakfast each day after voiding your bladder. A small and consistent fall in morning body mass, over subsequent days is a sign of progressive dehydration. Ensure that you are drinking sufficient fluid each day to maintain a consistent morning body mass.

2. Weigh yourself in minimal clothing immediately prior to exercise and record. On completion of exercise, towel yourself down to remove sweat and re-weigh yourself again in minimal clothing. Minimal weight loss should be the ultimate goal, as this means that fluid intake has matched fluid losses during the exercise session. If weight loss occurs, then current recommendations suggest that 1.5 Litres of fluid should be consumed to replace every 1kg lost. For example if the weight loss during training was 0.5kg then 750ml of fluid would need to be consumed to replace sweat losses.

1. personal hydrationmonitoring log



Tea/coffee cup 190ml

Mug 260ml

Styrofoam cup 170ml

Small juice glass 160ml

Large juice/milk glass 300ml

Small wine glass 125ml

Large wine glass 175ml

Pint Glass 568ml

Can of red bull 250ml

Can soft drink 330ml

Small carton juice 200ml

Bottle of Lucozade sport (still) 500ml

1 Litre bottle 1000ml

I mouthful of fluid e.g. water 15ml

estimating fluid intake

1. Record the time you have something to drink, and what it was (type of drink). Where possible specify brand names, and say if it was low calorie, light, or caffeine free.

2. It is also important to record the actual volume of fluid consumed as accurately as possible. Check the label for the size of the container and use this value. e.g. 330ml can of diet Sprite

3. The types and sizes of containers listed below may assist you with recording the volume of fluid you have drunk.

4. Remember, if you do not finish the drink, estimate the amount left in the cup, glass, can or carton e.g. 100ml, and take this away from the volume you record on your hydration log.

5. Check the size of your water bottle (sports bottle) e.g. 750ml or 1000ml etc. When recording volume of fluids you have consumed from your bottle during exercise remember to take into account any refills you have made and any fluid left over.

6. If you do not have a bottle of your own, keep a record of the number of mouthfuls you have consumed during exercise.1 mouthful = 15ml fluid10 mouthfuls = 150ml fluid

7. Add up the total volume for the day.

standard portion sizes of different containers for drinks


recording the volume and colourof urine

1. Record the time of day on each occasion that you visit the toilet. Make a simple estimate of the approximate volume of urine produced by recording whether you passed a Trickle (T), Medium (M), or Plentiful (P) amount. Use abbreviations along with the colour score on your logs for convenience e.g. 3M, or 6T.

2. Record the colour of each urine sample against the urine colour chart provided. Ideally, this should be performed by collecting a small sample of your urine in a clear plastic cup and holding the cup against a white piece of paper or background in a well lit environment. Record the number between 1 and 8 which best matches the colour of the urine passed.

monitoring urine colour

A colour reading of 1 to 3 indicates you are well hydrated, and should be producing clear and plentiful urine throughout the day.

Colour readings of 4 to 5 indicate progressive dehydration.

Colour readings of 5 or more suggest serious dehydration.

Aim to begin exercise well hydrated with a colour reading of between 1 and 3.


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2

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8

Remember: in order to keep your-self well hydrated, it is important to drink adequate amounts of appropriate fluids around the exercise periods and at regular intervals throughout the rest of the day.

From: Urinary Indices of Hydration Status, Int. J.Sport Nutrition 4:265-279, 1994


urine volume key

trickle = tmedium = mplentiful = p

urine colour chart


am I drinking enough?

If your weight loss during exercise sessions is minimal and urine colour is 3 or less throughout the day, than the answer to this question is yes.

However if weight loss occurred during exercise, and or urine colour is 4 or more during the day, than the answer is that you are most likely not drinking enough. Remember that weight loss during a session is water loss and not fat loss, and must be replaced. Make it a priority to practise drinking extra fluids throughout the day and during training.

Remember to carry an extra bottle of fluid to your training session to avoid becoming dehydrated.

can I drink too much?

Carrying excess body weight as fluid can be detrimental to performance for some athletes such as sprinters and jumpers.

It is important to avoid weight gain during exercise. Weighing more after exercise than before, is a sign that more fluid has been consumed than was needed.

The sodium lost in sweat should also be replaced to prevent hyponatraemia. The symptoms of hyponatraemia include a bad headache, confusion, nausea, swollen ankles and fingers.

Sodium losses are best replenished by taking sports drinks (commercial or home-made) during and after exercise along with salty foods during the recovery period.

fluid replacement -some practical points

As thirst is a poor indicator of the need to replace body fluids it is important to drink before feeling thirsty to prevent dehydration occurring.

Carry a full drinks bottle at all times to enable you to drink “little and often”.

Practice drinking during training to enable you to make the most of breaks in competition to consume fluids. Aim to drink at least 500ml of an isotonic sports drink at half time.

Check the availability and suitability of fluids at training sites and competition venues. If in doubt, carry sufficient fluids to meet your total requirements for a match/session (you can estimate this volume from your personal hydration logs).

Alcohol should be limited.

As a guideline, it is advisable to consume no more than 3 cups of tea or coffee prior to a match or competition.



name ........................................................................................................................................ date ...........................................................

location/venue ....................................................................................................................................................................................................

humidity ................................................................................................................................... average temperature ................................


NB: To replace 1 kg loss of body weight you need to drink 1.5 litres of an appropriate fluid.

Comments ..........................................................................................................................................................................................................

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Future action points 1 ......................................................................................................................................................................................

2 ......................................................................................................................................................................................

3 ......................................................................................................................................................................................

Please record the following as accurately as you can:1. The time you visit the toilet and the volume and colour of the urine you pass.2. The volume and types of fluid consumed (refer to standard portion sizes of drinks)3. Your weight first thing in the morning and before and after each exercise session (minimal clothing)

wake-up

pre-exercise

post-exercise

weight loss

volume of fluid(ml)

type of fluid consumedurine

colour(1 - 8)

volume(T/M/P)

body weight(kg)time

MORNING - FIRST EXERCISE SESSION

total fluid intake during session

pre-exercise

post-exercise

weight loss

AFTERNOON - SECOND EXERCISE SESSION


pre-exercise

post-exercise

weight loss

EVENING - THIRD EXERCISE SESSION


TOTAL WEIGHT LOSS TOTAL DAILY VOLUME

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

urine colour key urine volume key

trickle = tmedium = mplentiful = p

personal hydration monitoring logs

This work is protected by copyright. The copyright owner is Performance Food Ltd. You may not make alterations or additions to the material, or sell it or misappropriate it. Appropriate acknowledgement of the copyright owner is required if material is re-published in any format.

Copyright © 2007 Performance Food Ltd. Performance Food is a registered Trade Mark.

addressPerformance Food Ltd PO Box 58SwanseaSA3 4WX

email [email protected] www.performancefood.co.uk

helping sports performers use food to optimise performance during training and competition

pf hydration log

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