Stay hydrated for outdoor workouts, festivals and other summertime fun

Staying hydrated is always important when it comes to health, fitness and weight loss. But in the summer months, especially with the temperatures rising and many people spending more time outside, drinking more water than usual can help keep us cool, satisfied and energized.

The standard daily recommendation is to drink half of your body weight in ounces of water every day. So if you weigh 180 pounds, you’d drink 90 ounces of water each day. A trick to stay on track with this is to carry around a sturdy, refillable water bottle. Another trick is to line up water bottles in your home or office to remind you to drink a certain number each day. You could also use apps on your phone to track how much water you consume. (I’ve used Waterlogged and highly recommend it.)

In terms of exercising and drinking water, in addition to the above recommendations you want to drink at least eight ounces of water per 15 minutes of exercise. You can carry a few water bottles with you on a walk or a jog (and as a bonus, use them as weights before you drink them!). After a workout, remember to replenish your electrolytes, too, by drinking a sports drink, coconut water, or watermelon water. I highly recommend a mixture of half water and half sports drink to avoid consuming too much sugar.

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Finally, if you’re at an outdoor music festival, dining at your favorite outdoor restaurant patio/lounge or a big summertime barbecue, be sure to consume eight ounces of water in between alcoholic beverages to ensure that you’re staying properly hydrated! And if at all possible, skip those sugary drinks/juices for the kids — pack those refillable water bottles when you’re out at the beach, visiting the zoo or your favorite theme park.

Stephanie Mansour wants you to ‘“step up” your fitness regimen. Mansour coaches private clients in weight loss, provides fitness/health/lifestyles advice on national TV shows, and offers her free 21 Day Challenge online. Check out her fitness tips here and every Thursday in the Well section of the Chicago Sun-Times. And visit her website at stepitupwithsteph.com.