Raphael Ortiz works in law enforcement. He's conditioning his body for hot weather and he does it by tanking up on water.
"I ran 3.5 miles in the heat," said Ortiz. "I drink a lot of water before I run so I have enough fluids in my body."
That's how you start. Family medicine expert Dr. Manuel Momjian says tanking up before, during and after exercise is the only way not to lose body volume in this kind of heat.
"You should be taking in fluids at least two or three hours before exercising," said Dr. Momjian. "You should be drinking eight to 10 ounces every 10 to 15 minutes while you're exercising."
It's easy to lose an excess amount of fluid through perspiration in high temperatures, he recommends weighing yourself before and after a heavy workout.
A loss of one or two percent of your body weight would be a strong indication of dehydration.
"When you lose volume your heart has to work harder to make sure that blood gets pumped throughout your entire body," said Dr. Momjian.
Also, children are more likely to get dehydrated because they have higher body temperatures. But Dr. Momjian discourages parents from using sugary drinks as a way to get more fluids into your kids. Most experts agree, in most instances, sports drinks just aren't necessary.
"They should probably just drink water," said Dr. Momjian.
And if you do notice any type of weight loss in your kids or yourself after a heavy workout, you should drink about 30 ounces of water for every pound you've lost.
