Summer running-love it or hate it? One of the biggest challenges of summer running is staying adequately hydrated. Learning how to calculate your own sweat rate can provide you with some excellent information. This information can help guide you on how to replenish what you sweat out on your summer run.
How to easily calculate your sweat rate
One of the chapters in my NASM Nutrition Coach certifications was about hydration for athletes. They provided a simple yet informative way to calculate your personal sweat rate. Here’s how to do it:
- Empty your bladder
- Weigh yourself naked (convert to Kg)
- perform your run for one hour
- Weigh yourself naked again
- Subtract the post-exercise weight from the pre-exercise weight
- Add back in any liquid you consumed during your run in ml (a 16.9 oz water bottle is 500 ml)
- This equals your sweat rate per hour and will be your guide on how much to drink post-workout
Here is a simplified example provided by NASM: If your sweat rate is 2 L/hour and you consume about 1.5 L/hour, you’ll lose about 0.5 kg/hour over your intake, so after 3 hours you will have lost 1.5 kg, or about 2%. If you are able to absorb more than 1.5 L/hour (without feeling fluid sloshing in your stomach), you can try that.
Why should you do this?
It is great information to have about yourself and how much you sweat during summer workouts. This can help guide you with hydration pre and post workout. This information can help you decide on whether you need added electrolytes or simply water. Acclimating to summer workouts and scorching heat is not so easy. Here are some more tips.
What’s the best thing to drink for hydration?
Some people get GI stress from electrolyte drinks especially those containing certain sugars. It is best to test out different hydration strategies to determine what works best for your body.
Does from fruits and vegetable count?
Yes, consuming fruits and vegetables with a high water count can only help your body. Think watermelon and cucumbers.
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This is a guide to simply calculate your own sweat rate. It is really important to monitor your own hydration and make the decisions that are best for your body and fitness level.
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This is really an easy and intuitive way to calculate the sweat rate! Thanks, Deborah!
On my 3-hour run on Monday, I used about 1L of hydration/hour. I felt quite comfortable with my hydration but still had lost 1.5kg when I got home. This loss is in line with your calculation. It works!
It wasn’t a hot day and I must have sweated about 1.5L/hour.
It is always good to know how much you sweat!
I’ve never tried this but I really should. I don’t think I’m a super heavy sweater but lately the heat has been so intense. I feel like staying hydrated throughout the day has helped alot, but on my long runs I’ve been bringing my hydration vest so I can drink alot of water and Liquid IV while I run.
It is good info to have about yourself especially in this crazy heat.
I not a big sweater but lately our weather has been crazy.
This is good to know.
It is good info to have on yourself as a reference
There’s a reason watermelon is so delicious in the summer 🙂
I don’t often calculate my actual sweat rate, but I do weigh myself before/after randomly through a training cycle (winter and summer!) to make sure I’m hydrating properly throughout the day.
It is definitely good info to have especially in the summertime
This is very interesting! I never even thought about doing this but I might try it, especially since I live on the surface of the sun 😉
Yes! I bet it would be really helpful for you down in Florida heat
All the time I spend outdoors, running and biking (and even walking), I know there’s a lot of sweating going on. I’ll try this before my next long run (Saturday) to see what it tells me 😉
Yes let me know how it goes!
This is great info- I’ve never done this but I should. I’m also going to make my husband do it, because he sweats a ton and I know he doesn’t drink enough water. Seeing some concrete numbers might help him!
I found it really helpful myself! Let me know how it goes
I always think I’m going to do this, but then I’m in a hurry to get out there & run and I never even think about it so I’ve never done it!
Proper hydration can really make or break a Summer run/race.
It sure can!
Wow! I feel like I am sweating all the time (thanks, peri-menopause and living in Florida!) so I wonder what the numbers would look like for me. We don’t own a scale, so I may just have to just continue to hydrate as much as I can and stuff my face with watermelon 🙂
ha ha I guess that works too
I have never done this, but I would be interested in how the results compare in summer vs winter!
It sure would be an interesting comparison
It’s pretty amazing how much you can lose in liquid on the run.
yes it really is incredible!