Wednesday, June 1, 2011

Our Thirst for Sports


It's no secret that my family loves sports.  This season alone, my oldest three kids are involved in sports.  

Claire is in softball, she's the one on the base.

Iain is in baseball and soccer; that's him on the pitcher's mound.

Ellis is in soccer.  That's him catching his breath in the middle of the picture.

It's true that I am, by all definitions, a Sports Mom.  In this role, I have learned the importance of relying on other moms for advice and guidance on how to manage life as a Sports Mom.  One mom that I consider myself to be very privileged to have learned from is Stephanie Hamm, the mother of professional soccer player Mia Hamm.  I recently participated in a conference call with her in which Stephanie offered many wonderful pieces of advice for myself and the other Sports Moms on this call.  We also got to view the amazing video of Stephanie's story, and I highly recommend that you check it out here: Stephanie Hamm.

One of the most important responsibilities of being a sports mom is ensuring that my kids eat a balanced diet and get the proper hydration they need before each practice and each game.  I thought I was doing a good job.  Once I learned the steps toward proper hydration, however, I realized that it is way more than the simple steps that I've been taking.  I have been doing my best to make sure that my kids have a balanced diet, which is a very important thing for athletes.  I also send them off to each practice and game with a Gatorade in hand, knowing that they'll need it for hydration.  I really, truly thought that was enough.  I recently learned that it's not.

Gatorade is nothing new to our family (and no, I'm not just saying that because this review is sponsored by Gatorade; that statement is completely true)!  Thanks to our Costco membership, Gatorade comes at a pretty decent price, and it's something that is ALWAYS overflowing in our beverage refrigerator (yes, we have two refrigerators, the refrigerator in our basement is dedicated to beverages).  During the sports season, this refrigerator is taken over by Gatorade!  Throughout the year, we will have maybe 10 bottles of Gatorade in the fridge at one time, but when sports season arrives, we dedicate two entire shelves of the fridge to Gatorade, totaling around 50 bottles!

Having so much of this much loved beverage helps me to keep my kids perfectly hydrated, right?  Well, not completely.  Unfortunately, the things I've learned in this past week reflect on the fact that I'm not preparing my kids to fuel and hydrate themselves before a game.  Don't get me wrong, they go to the game with a Gatorade in hand, sometimes two.  Drinking this during their games is a great way to keep them going, but I recently learned that there is so much more to fueling and hydration than just drinking during activity.

Did you know that 70% of athletes show up to games and practices dehydrated?  70%!!  That's pretty extreme.  Upon learning the reasoning why, I realized that my kids are very likely included in that 70%.  In order to be properly fueled and hydrated, you are supposed to be drinking a beverage up to four hours before athletic activity, and you are to continue drinking during that activity.  I thought I had it down when I was sending my kids to their sports with a Gatorade in hand, little did I know that their hydration should be taken into consideration long before I drop them off!

According to the experts at the Gatorade Sports Science Institute (GSSI), there are other factors that contribute to their performance on the field, including the level of sodium they have in their body, as well as the level of carbohydrates (carbs).  Along with your beverage, you should be taking in carbs three to four hours before you exercise. Again, this is a way that I have learned that I am not properly preparing my kids for their sports.

Sometimes it feels like there is so much to know, and yet you wonder where to turn to find the right answers.  Well, Gatorade understands the needs of Sports Moms and has created a website specifically for us!  You can visit that website here.  This site provides information for Sports Moms, as well as stories of women just like us, trying our best to support our children in their every endeavor.  The "Gatorade Moms" site has so many helpful articles, I really do encourage you to check it out!

I know that I've learned far more about helping my kids perform their best through this website and I hope that you will make it a favorite of your own as well!  You will find a lot of helpful information when you Visit the Official site.

--

As part of this review, I have been selected to give away a $100 gift card to Dick's Sporting Goods!  It's easy to enter, so please play along.  Here are the official rules:


No duplicate comments.

You may receive (2) total entries by selecting from the following entry
methods:

a) Leave a comment in response to the sweepstakes prompt on this post

b) Tweet about this promotion and leave the URL to that tweet in a comment
on this post

c) Blog about this promotion and leave the URL to that post in a comment on
this post

d) For those with no Twitter or blog, read the official rules to learn about
an alternate form of entry.

The giveaway will run from Wednesday, June 1, 2011 through Thursday, June 30, 2011.



This giveaway is open to US Residents age 18 or older.

Winners will be selected via random draw, and will be notified by e-mail.


You have 72 hours to get back to me, otherwise a new winner will be selected. 

You can also check out the rules online: Visit the Official Rules. 

Make sure to stop by the Prizes and Promotions Section for more chances to enter!

45 comments:

  1. Hydration is definitely really important for kids.

    mami2jcn at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  2. tweet:

    http://twitter.com/mami2jcn/status/75990774201860096

    mami2jcn at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  3. Hydration is a big issue for us, especially when games are outdoors during the summer months. We really push water and Gatorade.
    lesleymitchell52@yahoo.com

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  4. i love gatorade! it's definitely essential for the summer!
    zingums87@aol . com

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  5. I didn't realize you had to hydrate that long before either....Isaac is in cross country and this would be good for him too. Thanks for sharing what you learned!!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Isn't Gatorade higher in sugars, shouldn't kids just get plenty of water to keep hydrated?

    Maybe I'll be a sports mom when the kids get older, we'll see!!! Then I'll have to get some tips from you Kami :)

    ReplyDelete
  7. had no idea about hydrating that long beforehand!
    lyndsey dot hauck at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  8. Looks like I have lots to do to get ready for my 3 year old to start playing baseball. He is a little baseball player at heart!!! I didn't realize you need to start drinking that long before!! Wow:)
    annie_schuster@hotmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  9. I would use this for more biking gear.

    ReplyDelete
  10. The issue of hydration is so important. The kids need to stay hydration before, during and after the sports activity. helenkeeler@comcast.net

    ReplyDelete
  11. I could use this to do some work on my bike
    telcon_2000@yahoo.com

    ReplyDelete
  12. we keep Gatorade stocked in the pantry.. not only for sports but for our scout campouts in summer. Great way to keep the hydrated along with water while out hiking on the trails.
    karenmed409 at comcast dot net

    ReplyDelete
  13. Love Gatorade, never can have enough here, we drink through it so fast!

    samke23 @ gmail . com

    ReplyDelete
  14. my kids and husband love gatorade, especially after sports

    ReplyDelete
  15. we use water as much as possible to avoid the sugar crash. thanks
    gabflab@live.com

    ReplyDelete
  16. my son would really be able to use this

    ReplyDelete
  17. My kids love gatorade especially during the summer when they participate in outdoors camps
    tbarrettno1 at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  18. tweet
    http://twitter.com/#!/ChelleB36/status/78229490165231617
    tbarrettno1 at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  19. Stay hydrated is the first priority for sports activities.

    ReplyDelete
  20. http://twitter.com/tcarolinep/status/78305322401406977
    tcarolinep at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  21. We cant seem to keep stocked up on Gatorade.

    ReplyDelete
  22. We always bring healthy snacks and Gatorade when we play sports

    s2s2 at comcast dot net

    ReplyDelete
  23. http://twitter.com/#!/susan1215/status/79617309567762432

    s2s2 at comcast dot net

    ReplyDelete
  24. Kids need to be hydrated!
    MCantu1019 at aol dot com

    ReplyDelete
  25. always had my son drink before his hockey game, and after to stay hydrated!

    jodit at gra dot midco dot net

    ReplyDelete
  26. Softball and Gatorade, you can't have one without the other!

    ReplyDelete
  27. I make sure they eat enough veggies, fruit and Keep them hydrated
    merleandtina@yahoo.com

    ReplyDelete
  28. http://twitter.com/#!/HappyTina0115/status/81180055186841602
    merleandtina@yahoo.com

    ReplyDelete
  29. I didn't realize you need to hydrate beforehand, but it makes sense when you think about it.

    ReplyDelete
  30. Years ago when my son was little, we also used gatorade at all his practices and games. He was a hockey player.

    gmissycat at yahoo dot com

    ReplyDelete
  31. Tweeted here too

    http://twitter.com/#!/gmissycat/status/81875723194871809

    gmissycat at yahoo dot com

    ReplyDelete
  32. Staying well hydrated is definitely key. We always have a lot of Gatorade around. It's not only excellent for sports but also for other outdoor activities, such as doing yard work in hot weather.

    rogsdock[at]gmail[dot]com

    ReplyDelete
  33. Yeah, keeping hydrated and ensuring that your kids are getting what they need nutritionally is certainly important! Amazing how much these factors can contribute to performance. Thanks for the giveaway!

    gina.m.maddox (at) gmail (dot) com

    ReplyDelete
  34. tweet-http://twitter.com/#!/CrazyItalian0/status/85388398256328704

    gina.m.maddox (at) gmail (dot) com

    ReplyDelete
  35. As an adult I still need to stay on top of my hydration, just to have enough energy to get through the day. Thanks for doing the giveaway! green2011 [at] awstudios [dot] net

    ReplyDelete
  36. I did not see a prompt of any kind really..hmm...well let me just say that I am thrilled to learn that Gatorade is HFCS free! I did not know this and think its GREAT! I also love Gatorade myself. I don't have kids, but do drink Gatorade when I am sick and need to stay hydrated or if I get stupid thirsty!!!
    Angie
    14earth at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  37. I tweeted here: http://twitter.com/#!/FotoMacro/status/85750697567588352
    Angie
    14earth at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  38. I'd like to win this to buy equipment for my son. debsweeps4@yahoo.com

    ReplyDelete
  39. i drink g2 while hiking.

    kolpin4680 at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  40. tweet
    http://twitter.com/#!/kolpin4680/status/86479565706366976

    ReplyDelete
  41. Staying hydrated is just as important for adults as it is for kids, especially in these summer months.

    ReplyDelete
  42. Chocolate milk is good fuel.

    hlee99 (at) gmail (dot) com

    ReplyDelete
  43. Bananas and fig newtons give them fuel and potassium.

    ReplyDelete
  44. My husband is a marathon runner so we are very familiar with carbs, water, gatorade and protein! We often have a football team sized jug of gatorade for the really hot days for he and his running mates to consume.

    ReplyDelete
  45. Here in FL, we have to worry about hydration year-round, but especially in the summer when it can reach over 100 degrees!

    the imagine tree at aol dot com

    ReplyDelete