Fall practice for football (not to mention soccer, cheerleading and marching band) started this week in most of California and Florida, where they already are issuing heat advisories.

The weather in Texas and elsewhere in the middle of the country will flirt with triple digits - again.

And while gone are the days of toughening up kids by depriving them of water, not everyone is up to date on the best ways to stay hydrated and thus stay healthy.

Barbara Lewin is a noted sports nutritionist, the founder of sports-nutritionist.com in South Florida and a consultant for Olympic and professional athletes. Her suggestions on staying healthy in the heat apply if you're a high school athlete, weekend warrior or just someone looking to get in better shape.

Here are some do's and don'ts for training, including why some times - believe it or not - it may be better to reach for a turkey sandwich or yogurt instead of a sports drink.

1. Sports drinks are better than water at practice

"If you are exercising in the heat for an hour - and it doesn't matter just how strenuous a workout it is - your body needs more than just water," Lewin says. Sports drinks, she says, provide the carbohydrates and electrolytes your body needs to replace during vigorous exercise that water does not.

"When you're out there doing endurance sports, if you get dehydrated, you're out," she says. "And if you don't have enough carbs, hitting the wall is not a pleasant experience." Lewin says a general guideline is 16 ounces of a sport drink during every hour of your workout or practice.

2. You don't always need a sports drink when exercising

"If you're going to a gym and doing a 40-minute workout, water is fine," she says. And you certainly don't need it during the day at lunch or when you're just walking around. "I always laugh when I see people carrying their bottles around with them. That's not what (sports drinks) are meant for."

3. You can not (and should not) load up on sports drinks

You don't get a huge benefit by loading up on a sports drink before you practice or work out. We're not camels. The important thing is to drink throughout the day to stay well-hydrated. Water is just fine here. Lewin says the key before a practice or workout is to make sure you've fueled your muscles properly. Sports drinks are good but not necessarily the best way to do that.

4. A light meal before a long practice or workout is key

Have a high-carb snack 1-2 hours before your practice or workout - something like a turkey sandwich on whole grain with yogurt or fruit, Lewin says. This will help give your muscles the fuel they need to perform at their best. If you're going to have a rigorous mid-afternoon practice, you need something more than just a lunch at noon.

5. Food is important after your exercise, too

What you do after your practice or workout may be more important than what you do before or during. It's critical to have a recovery snack within 20-30 minutes of the end. It helps your body recover - and it's as easy as having some chocolate milk, a fruit smoothie or an energy bar. Having another sports drink helps, too. But be quick, Lewin says. If you wait too long, it could take days to fully recover.

6. Make sure you actually like what you're eating and drinking

"The most important thing is that it's a sports drink you like to drink," Lewin says. It sounds silly, but some people don't like the taste of their sports drinks and water them down because of it. That's not good. "If you're not drinking enough or watering it down, then you're not getting enough electrolytes or carbs." The same goes for yogurt or energy bars or other food items. If you don't like them, you won't eat them. And remember, Lewin says, these items are not for dieting. Don't go for the low-cal or low-carb products. "You need carbohydrates for fuel. That doesn't make any sense whatsoever."

Listening to Lewin's advice, however, does.

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