We all know that water is good for the body, and staying hydrated is one of the keys to a healthy life whether you’re an active person or not... But hopefully you are! :)
Drinking enough water ensures that your body is able to function optimally in every way. Your brain activity, physical capability, digestion, energy, and more all depend of plenty of water to allow you to feel and perform your best.
Give your body what it wants and needs!
How much water should you drink? The opinions vary here, but the most well-known recommendation is drinking eight 8oz glasses per day, or 64 ounces, but that’s a little low in my opinion… Because many factors (lifestyle, age, sex, etc.) can affect how much you as an individual really need, so I always go for the gusto and recommend shooting for a gallon a day.
Yes, that’s twice the daily recommendation we hear most often, but here’s my logic - more is better when it comes to water (within reason) and a gallon is a safe amount for almost anyone to consume without any negative effects of over-hydration. Also, if you miss your mark and don’t get through the whole gallon by nighttime, chances are you’ve probably hit (or still surpassed) the recommended 64 ounce daily water goal.
Remember that your body loses water constantly through regular body processes like eliminating waste, and you’ll be losing even more through sweat if you exercise (and/or live somewhere warm), so make sure that you’re replenishing fluids as you go.
Marking up your gallon jug (see photo above) is a great way to stay on track! A whole gallon can seem daunting, especially at first, but if you mark it up into portions and aim to finish them by certain times of the day, it can really help you stick to a schedule of drinking gradually so you get through it all before bedtime. If you leave half of your daily water until just before you go to sleep, you’ll be waking up to hit the potty all night - nobody wants that!
Also, if you wait til you’re thirsty to drink, it’s too late! Thirst is your body’s way of telling you that you’re dehydrated, so don’t wait until you feel that sensation - instead, consistently drink water throughout the day so you never get to that point.
If nothing else, let the positive effects of water on weight management motivate you to pound the ounces! It’s easy to mistake thirst for hunger, and reach for food when your body is actually asking you for water…
Drinking a big glass (or bottle) of water before you eat, and then waiting a few minutes before starting in on your meal or snack, can help to stop you from eating out of boredom, decrease portion sizes and promote satiety. Feeling more full from less food? Sounds pretty good to me!
Maybe you’re concerned about having to go to the bathroom a lot, but it’s not a bad thing - your body will eventually adjust to your water intake and your potty breaks will become a little less frequent. Plus, getting up to go to the bathroom gives you an excuse to get up and stretch your legs, and more activity throughout your day is always a good call! Let your trips to the bathroom add to your TDEE (total daily energy expenditure - I posted about it a few days back) - it all counts!
Again, drinking plenty of water is not just for the fitness fanatics… We all need to focus on getting our ounces in, so let’s all cheers to our health and drink up!
How much water do you drink per day? What do you do to make sure you get enough?
Please feel free to comment, upvote or resteem if you’d like! :)
