WATER:  The secret weapon
Adapted from:  F. Meyer O. Bar-Or, Sports Med 18(1) 4-9, 1994

(NAPS) - All exercise routines should have 1 thing in common:  plenty of water.  That's because losing fluid through perspiration can cause fatigue and hinder performance.

FLUID GUIDELINES FOR ACTIVE KIDS

• Drink before, during, and after exercise.  Experts recommend 1 or 2 cups of cold water before a workout; "maintenance" drinks every 20-30 minutes during exercise; and, at least 2 cups of water when you're done to replenish lost fluids.

• Don't wait until you "feel" thirsty.  If you do, you may actually be on the way to being dehydrated.  Other warning signs:  fatigue, loss of appetite, flushed skin, heat intolerance, impatience, indistinct speech and dizziness.

• Drink cold water on a hot day, warm water on a cold day.  The idea that cold water causes cramping is an old wives' tale.  Actually, cold water is preferable during hot weather because it is absorbed much more quickly than warm water, so an overheated body can get cooler faster.  During cold weather, warm beverages are fine.

• Stay away from caffeinated drinks.  Like alcohol, the caffeine in coffee, tea and soda actually causes you to lose water through increased urination.

• Drink water to get rid of water weight.  Strange as it may seem, the less water you drink, the more your body will hoard for future use.  If you drink 8-10 glasses per day, the body has a large supply and won't retain it.

• Drink before and during meals.  Drinking a glass of water before and during meals tricks the stomach into thinking that it's fuller than it really is.  The result:  you eat less.