Sodium & Summer Sports

Sweetpea472
Sweetpea472 Posts: 229 Member
edited September 27 in Health and Weight Loss
A few summers ago my daughter played All Star softball, and the coach gave the girls pickles to help keep them hydrated. Now my son is on a travel lacrosse team, and we just finished up a two day tournament dehydrated, despite drinking loads of water (and some PowerAdes for him). My son won't touch pickles, so I was thinking about giving him chips. I'm not a pickle fan myself, but I don't want to ruin my progress with chips. Ideas for higher sodium foods that won't wreck my food diary? How 'bout general suggestions for staying hydrated in 90+ degree weather?

Replies

  • acasey0123
    acasey0123 Posts: 640 Member
    gatorade
  • kateanne27
    kateanne27 Posts: 275 Member
    there are sodium balanced sports drinks and powders you can try. are you playing too? or maybe kale chips with salt, or rice with soy sauce?
  • fteale
    fteale Posts: 5,310 Member
    I find electrolytes in my water really help. Or just give him the chips! You don't have to have them.
  • yvonnej1
    yvonnej1 Posts: 904 Member
    Like the previous poster I use electrolytes, they stopped me from getting cramps whilst working out. I buy High 5 zero tablets, they are low calorie and low carb, they come in a handy tube of tablets which you add to plain water. They are cheaper than electrolyte drinks and convenient to carry with you.
  • Sweetpea472
    Sweetpea472 Posts: 229 Member
    Thanks for the suggestions!

    I am not playing, but I am very sensitive to the sun & heat. Yesterday I had sweat so much that it looked like someone had poured water down my back (literally), and the sweat pattern on the front of my shirt was... well, let's just say less than flattering. Ahem. :ohwell: My son and I both had severe headaches, moderate fatigue, and were mild/moderately lightheaded. I am especially concerned for him... there are so many horror stories about young athletes dying during summer sports.

    Obviously, I am on a weight-loss journey, but my son has lost 30 lbs. on his own and does not want to undo any progress he has made. I'd just like to have him have some extra water weight on him before he goes out to play, and he has a summer full of these tournaments (with one being in FL).

    I will certainly look into the electrolyte tablets! Are they available at sporting goods stores (****'s, Sports Authority, etc.)?

    Thanks again! :smile:
  • Sweetpea472
    Sweetpea472 Posts: 229 Member
    The filter took out the name of the first sports store I mentioned, lol! It's D.i.c.k.'s ... a bit expensive, but I love the store!
  • yvonnej1
    yvonnej1 Posts: 904 Member
    Well I'm in the UK so I'm probably not much help as to where you can buy them, although I buy mine online. The actual product I use is this
    http://high5-online.com/acatalog/Zero_Electrolyte_Drink.html

    I would have thought you could get it in the US. I chose this as it is low carb which is supposed to be more effective for fat burning than drinking a drink full of carbs when exercising.

    Just looking around I have found this product on an American website, it looks similar


    http://www.discountsupplements.com/Electro_Mix_LemonLime_p/3620027.htm
  • bmontgomery87
    bmontgomery87 Posts: 1,260 Member
    gatorade

    bam
  • littlemissanguissette
    littlemissanguissette Posts: 248 Member
    During endurance rides, it gets crazy hot out there and riders tend to dehydrate easily. We usually push gatorade, and we will sometimes add a bit of salt into it. Not much, but enough to help replace what is being lost. Plain water just doesn't cut it sometimes.
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
    I'd worry about giving him chips, mostly because I'm not sure that's the healthiest eating habit to teach him. Also, many chips have a high level of simple carbs so he could get an insulin rush and then crash which could hurt his performance. I'd go with plenty of water and some gatorade.
  • whiskyzee
    whiskyzee Posts: 102 Member
    When I went to summer camp back in middle school, they gave us little packets of salted peanuts (protein+sodium!) and lemon water. I'd run around in 90+ degree weather for 10 hours a day, and I never once fainted (got a nasty sunburn one year, though).
  • Heatherbelle_87
    Heatherbelle_87 Posts: 1,078 Member
    Marching band in Phoenix arizona, peak season equals 110+ degree heat and wool uniforms. SO we (and the band moms) had to know a thing or two about hydration!

    Propel, Gatorade, Powerade. Salted Nuts if you are still having a hard time staying hydrated but increasing sodium isnt going to help over much because you can still dehydrate on a high sodium diet. We know this from experience sadly. We also had diabetics in our marching band, we had people pass out (with a Tuba still on!) and down the bleachers, my sister dehydrated on a band trip and passed out IN the ocean. All the things these people had in common, not eating well before the performance, and not drinking proper, gatorade, or powerade. In High heat ingesting too much water can actual debalance your electrolytes with increases teh rate of dehydration and makes it harder to Re-hydrate. Hence why sports drinks are so popular
  • fishermanwife
    fishermanwife Posts: 48
    if your looking to use a food you could try salted almonds
  • xdannigirl
    xdannigirl Posts: 32 Member
    my softball coaches recommended water for season games, but gatorade/powerade for tournaments and playoffs.

    as well, if they're not banned (they were always banned in my leagues >.<) try salted sunflower seeds.
  • Sweetpea472
    Sweetpea472 Posts: 229 Member
    Great ideas! My son was drinking PowerAde & water (too much PowerAde makes him nauseated), and it just wasn't cutting it. I love the nuts suggestions - WAY better than chips!

    I'm not sure about lacrosse, but sunflower seeds were banned when my daughter played softball, too. I could always give him some packs of the hulled seeds!

    Ooh, and I just thought of something else... jerky! Nice little protein boost with a sodium kick!
  • Sweetpea472
    Sweetpea472 Posts: 229 Member
    During endurance rides, it gets crazy hot out there and riders tend to dehydrate easily. We usually push gatorade, and we will sometimes add a bit of salt into it. Not much, but enough to help replace what is being lost. Plain water just doesn't cut it sometimes.

    About how much salt do you think you added?
  • Sweetpea472
    Sweetpea472 Posts: 229 Member
    Well I'm in the UK so I'm probably not much help as to where you can buy them, although I buy mine online. The actual product I use is this
    http://high5-online.com/acatalog/Zero_Electrolyte_Drink.html

    I would have thought you could get it in the US. I chose this as it is low carb which is supposed to be more effective for fat burning than drinking a drink full of carbs when exercising.

    Just looking around I have found this product on an American website, it looks similar


    http://www.discountsupplements.com/Electro_Mix_LemonLime_p/3620027.htm

    Thanks so much! I'll check it out! :)
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