During the actual physical activity, an athlete sweats and loses large amounts of water and salt. An athlete should replenish these losses during the activity and afterwards. During the activity, water should be consumed in small amounts at regular intervals. Afterwards, an athlete may drink large amounts of water to help replenish the body's water. Also, salt should be consumed to help replenish the salt lost in sweat.
Basketball is an example of a sport that requires an extended period of physical exertion.
This causes large amounts of energy to be consumed and large amounts of sweat to be lost from the athlete's body. In the past, a common meal around 2 p.m. for a night game allowed a basketball player to feel energetic during his game. Nowadays, players have become taller and larger. They require a greater amount of energy than players in the past. Players today can run faster, jump higher, and are stronger than previous players.