"Moisture is the essence of wetness, and wetness is the essence of beauty" -Derek Zoolander.
The proverbial "they" say it's good to start things with quotes, and this seemed like a fitting one to kick off this week's #ThursdayQandA, which is a common question I get: "How much water should I drink a day?"
Honestly this blog's been a long time coming because I love water and think hydration is SO important. It affects every single process in the body. You may think drinking water is "boring", well you wouldn't even be able to think that if it wasn't for water cuz you know what your brain needs to function and make thoughts? Yep... H2O.
I'm not here to patronize you by attempting to "convince" you of water's importance. I'm assuming you've heard the news that your body is mostly made up of the stuff. You can put two and two together. Yet maybe you struggle to properly hydrate, like most people I meet.
Just like with fitness and nutrition, there are countless ways people successfully improve their hydration. What matters is finding the approach, or approaches that will work best for YOU! Drinking a glass anytime you're hungry, finding a water bottle you like, and taking a sip every time you send an email (or any other regular occurrence) at work, are all helpful strategies.
I also strongly recommend keeping some by your bed and hydrating first thing in the morning. You can lose up to two pounds of water in your sleep just from breathing and sweating! It's the most important time to replenish your systems, and a great way to start your day with a simple action for your health!
Those are some options to experiment with to get more water in your day. It's gonna make your day better if you get more water in your day. It's going to make your whole life better. The list of effects of dehydration is MASSIVE and wide-ranging. I think drinking water should be the first box you check if something, ANYthing, feels "off". I understand it's not going to fix everything, but let me know when it makes a situation worse.
I've removed all links to other fancier websites with science that proves my claims (facts) about how all your cells, organs, and tissues use water, and that not having enough of it isn't the best for your health. I hope my perspective helps you implement the strategies I shared to get more water in your day. This leaves us with our initial question: "how much water should you drink a day?", which I've already answered multiple times:
More.
When that answer doesn't apply to you, your bladder will let you know!
Down With The Fitness is here to give you simple, actionable tips that will improve your health. If you found this helpful, feel free to check out the archives for more. I'm pretty proud of the rabbit hole this thing has become.
If you have any questions or comments, you can get direct access to me in the Down With The Fitness Facebook Group. It's also the most algorithm-proof way to make sure you see future posts!
Have fun and do your best,
Certified Personal Trainer and Nutrition Coach (American Council on Exercise; Precision Nutrition)
