Am I drinking too much?

[karen]

I rode 24 miles yesterday and had to take lots of nature breaks!

I drank about 1 liter of water plus 1 bottle of gatorade. Due to sinus issues, I mostly breathe through my mouth when I ride which may be why I drink so much. Should I cut back on the fluids since it seems that I didn't sweat out much liquid yesterday?

[RolliePollie]

I rode 24 miles yesterday and had to take lots of nature breaks!

I drank about 1 liter of water plus 1 bottle of gatorade. Due to sinus issues, I mostly breathe through my mouth when I ride which may be why I drink so much. Should I cut back on the fluids since it seems that I didn't sweat out much liquid yesterday?

I doubt that you're drinking too much...unless of course it's bothering you to stop for potty breaks so often! I can do a 25 mile ride without stopping to go potty, unless I've had coffee before the ride, in which case I might need to stop. When it's hot out, I try to take sips of water every five minutes or so. On a 25 mile ride, I'd probably drain my two water bottles and I'd have to go potty after the ride. I try to balance drinking enough with not drinking so much that I have to stop all the time. This time of year, I'm also a mouth-breather due to allergies (and my runny nose drives me insane!!!). It does seem to make me get thirsty faster when my mouth is all dried out. I would think that you're better off drinking a little too much than not drinking enough.

[kelownagirl]

How about me? I've had a half bottle of wine every day for the past two months... Time to cut back.

Edit: Sorry I couldn't resist given the thread title...

[karen]

How about me? I've had a half bottle of wine every day for the past two months... Time to cut back.

That's ok... wine has TONS of antioxidants!!

Sara, the only problem I have with stopping so much is that, on the trail, the legitimate potty break places get farther and farther away from each other the longer I ride and I do NOT enjoy riding for several miles when I need a break.
I suppose I need to learn to regulate my hydration a bit more, especially as the weather gets cooler.

[RolliePollie]

How about me? I've had a half bottle of wine every day for the past two months... Time to cut back.

Edit: Sorry I couldn't resist given the thread title...

Too funny...I was thinking the same thing when I first read the thread title! I thought "uh oh, someone has a drinking problem?!?!"

[Zen]

I thought the same thing too.
The first thing that came to mind was 'can you still stand up?'

Remember, the first step in solving a problem is admitting you have one

[kelownagirl]

Karen - just realized it's a little impolite of me not to at least answer your question. I can sometimes drink that much on a ride, and other times not. For me it depends on how hot it is and how much climbing I'm doing and/or how hard I'm riding. I usually have two water bottles with me on every ride - I almost always finish one, sometimes both. I rarely drink gatorade unless it's longer than 4 hours (but that's just me). YMMV...

[Zen]

http://sportsmedicine.about.com/cs/n...n%20guidelines

[margo49]

In the same light-hearted vein... if you're still focussed enough to ask the question "Am I drinking too much?" and care about the answer you're prob'ly ok... and could have another one or two


... posted after a hefty Bombay Sapphire with fresh-from-the-tree lime and fructose

[Starfish]

Yesterday I got in 46 miles with a medium amount of climbing, and I drank 2 x 22oz bottles. But, it was not hot out...maybe 60 or so, no sunshine. If I did that same ride in Eastern WA...dry climate, maybe 20-30 degrees hotter, I would at least need another bottle, maybe 2 more.

[karen]

So it sounds like I'm doing ok hydrating with the Georgia heat then. Maybe just a little less than I'm drinking now will allow me to take fewer breaks.

[skyhand]

If the sun's beating down, I can easily suck down between 2-3 liters of water on a 40-mile ride. I *have* to make sure I replenish electrolytes or I get royally funked up.

[sundial]

I have the opposite problem--I don't drink enough. I have always had to force myself to drink. Even as an infant my mother used to force feed me formula.

I always joke to my hubby that if we are ever stranded in a desert I would go get help. I'm like a camel.

[Torrilin]

Fourthing the "better a little too much". I've noticed one reason why I handle heat better than most of my friends/family is I treat liquid as a necessity. My ability to take heat drops like a rock if I stop drinking. And now that I'm biking a lot, I've learned that my ability to spin goes away if I don't get enough water.

It ends up being a dramatic difference.

[Aggie_Ama]

Maybe it is how much you are drinking before? If I drink a lot before a ride I will need to potty early on. I can go that distance without needing a break if I am just drinking on the bike (usually 20-40 oz). Ihave been known to be guilty of drinking too little. I think I would take needed to potty over dehydration or heat illness any day!

**Hehe I guess drinking before makes me have to "break the seal". I had the other type of drinking on my mind when I saw the title.