Discover the best hydration tips for Indian summers! Learn what to drink before and after workouts to stay energized, cool, and healthy.
Brutal Indian summer comes in different forms in different places—dry in the north, humid in the south, and scorching everywhere in between. From going to the office to hitting the gym, or going for a morning run, staying properly hydrated is non-negotiable in this harsh weather. Along with boosting your performance, hydration prevents fatigue, cramps, and heat related exhaustion.
Let’s understand what you should drink before and after your workouts to sustain summer heat without compromising your fitness routine.
During exercising in high temperatures, your body sweats more to cool yourself down. More than water, the human body loses essential electrolytes including sodium, potassium, and magnesium. So, you need to replenish properly before you feel dizzy, sluggish, or even get muscle cramps.
Never consume a lot of water before working out. Here’s what’s ideal:
Drink 1–2 glasses of water at least half an hour before exercising. This gives your body sufficient time to absorb the fluids and prevents dehydration.
Enriched with natural electrolytes, coconut water is a great alternative to sports drinks. It’s especially good for early morning workouts when you're already a bit dehydrated.
A simple combination of lemon juice, honey, and a pinch of salt in water is a powerful natural pre-workout drink for instant energy and hydration.
Soak chia seeds in water with lemon overnight and drink it early in the morning. Chia absorbs water and helps in sustained hydration throughout the workout session.
Now that you’ve drained a good amount of water and electrolytes from your body, you need immediate replenishment. Here's how to rehydrate right:
Let's begin with lost sodium. Add a pinch of rock salt or pink Himalayan salt to your water with a splash of lime post-workout.
Cooling, refreshing, and probiotic-rich—chaas or buttermilk is simply perfect for Indian summers. It rehydrates while improving digestion. You can add roasted jeera and mint for an extra punch.
Mix water, salt, a spoon of jaggery or honey, and lemon juice. It’s natural, easy, cost-effective, and perfect to restore body fluids in the summer season.
Fruits including watermelon, orange, pineapple, and cucumber are great sources of hydration. You can blend them together with a bit of mint or ginger to prepare a soothing post-workout smoothie, it's both cooling and energizing.
Sugary Packaged Juices: They are low in real nutrition.
Energy Drinks: These are often loaded with caffeine and synthetic ingredients, harmful for your body when consumed in vast amounts. Also, people get addicted to those drinks easily.
Too Much Water: Yes, overhydration is extremely bad in the summer season. It causes serious issues like hyponatremia (low sodium levels). So, stick to small and frequent sips.
Hydration is not only drinking water—it's about drinking smart. Use local and seasonal ingredients and keep your drinks light, refreshing, and nutrient-loaded.
Stay cool, stay fit, and keep sipping!
