Real Life Diet Questions Answered

Living in a hot climate, how much water should I be drinking

I live in the Middle East and have recently signed up to a month of bootcamp which involves very intense exercise 4 times per week. I know the recommended water intake per day is 2 litres - should I increase this? And should I be drinking more water anyway as I live in a hot climate? Also, I've started snacking at my desk at work on edamame beans as I'd heard they are a 'super food'. However, my friend said the other day that they are high in fat - should I be avoiding them??

Our expert says...

Hi,

Thanks for your query.

When you’re exercising intensely in a hot climate it’s possible to lose as much as a litre of sweat an hour, which you should be looking to replace. However marathon runners who are exercising for around four hours are advised to have no more than 800ml of fluid an hour as it is possible to over do it, and of course you need to take into account how comfortable your stomach feels.

Also when it's hot and / or you’re exercising hard for an hour or more, a sports drink is to be recommended over water, as you’ll need to replace the sodium and minerals in sweat, as well as the fluid.

Despite all the rhetoric about you being already dehydrated by the time you’re thirsty, experts do now say that for most of us our thirst is our best guide. So though it’s advisable, and desirable, to keep sipping as you exercise, I wouldn’t recommend religiously trying to drink a certain amount if it feels uncomfortable. Particularly don’t drink loads and loads of plain water when you’ve been sweating a great deal because very large amounts of water accompanied with lowered salt levels can lead to water intoxication.

On the other query, dried edamame (soya) bean snacks contain on average 20 per cent fat, which is lower than crisps or nuts. They’re also a very good source of protein  (about 40 per cent), which makes them particularly good at curbing hunger. Personally I rate them as a filling, nutritious snack, but, ultimately, you do have to watch the calories, which are around 134 for a 30g handful.

Good luck with the boot camp!

Angela