If you’re into health and fitness, you already know the drill— drink more water. It’s no secret that water is crucial to your overall health, we literally could not survive more than a few days without it. Water makes up 70% of the human body- two thirds of your body weight.
The truth is, if you’re not drinking enough water every day, you’re cheating yourself, and simply put, most people aren’t drinking enough. If more people knew how drinking enough water consistently could increase fat loss instead of taking fat loss supplements, water intake would definitely become a priority.
Water helps with over a thousand bodily functions per day from digestion, to brain function, to metabolizing fat. It helps with nutrient delivery, proper joint function, body temperature regulation, skin elasticity, inflammation reduction, toxin flushing, and countless other important daily necessities. Essentially, our water intake impacts our whole health and it doesn’t ever get the credit or attention it deserves.
Dehydration can cause more problems than you may recognize. When it comes to things like headaches, fatigue, irritability, and brain fog, more often than not a lack of water is the culprit.
The amount of water a person should be consuming every day depends on a variety of factors but a good baseline according to the Health and Medicine Division of the National Academies is around 91 ounces for women and 125 ounces for men. Of course, if you’re more active and breaking a sweat during your training sessions, you should always consume more water than the daily recommendation.
So now that you know why you need to drink more water, and how much, it’s time to take action. The hardest part but the most critical. Here are some tips to help:
Get a larger water bottle. There are plenty on the market from half and full gallon jugs to bottles with time stamps and motivating quotes. Find one that you like, pretend it is another limb, and carry it with you everywhere.
Set reminders. There are apps for tracking water that will remind you to drink it. You can ask set up several notifications throughout the day that will remind you. If you want to go old school, put sticky notes on your work computer, your car dashboard, your fridge. Soon it will become a habit and you won’t need all these little nudges.
Flavor your water. If you’re like us, somedays water just doesn’t go down as easy. Try calorie-free water enhancers like Mio, Crystal Light, or your favorite flavor of BCAAs. As long as you are getting in your water consistently each day, you will reap the benefits!
- 3 Ways to Avoid Overeating During the Holidays - November 23, 2020
- How Mindful Eating Can Change Your Relationship with Food - November 6, 2020
- Tips for Dealing with Stress & Overwhelm - October 26, 2020
