“You are drinking too much water.”
I hear this often. Yes, it might seem a little strange to some people seeing me carry around my huge purse filled with around five to six 16 oz. water bottles or watching me drink out of a gallon jug that I have to hold with two hands.
But why drinking a lot of water is important to me, someone who is working out a lot, and might be just as important to you, is easy to explain.
Here are the top 10 reason why you should start drinking more water today.
1) Increase your energy!
Since 90% of our brain is made out of water, it needs water to stay focused and help you to concentrate better.
2) Control your calorie intake!
If you drink just one glass of water before every meal you are more likely to eat less. Drinking a good amount of water also boosts your metabolism and clears your system from fat by-products.
3) Get rid of toxins!
Yes, if you drink more water you’ll have to urinate more. But that also means that you get rid of toxins in your system.
4) Fuel your muscles!
Sweating while working out causes muscles (which consists of 75% of water) to lose water which makes them get tired more easily. To maintain your awesome performance at the gym make sure you are giving your muscles enough fluids.
5) Prevent pain!
Water has been proven to prevent muscle cramps and joint pain – especially if you’re working out a lot and stressing your muscles and joints regularly.
6) Boost your immune system!
You don’t need pills to get rid of this annoying flu. Water can help with decongestion and prevent colds.
7) Clear up your skin!
Clogged pores are often a result of too many toxins in your body. Flush them out by drinking an extra couple ounces of water every day.
8) Keep things moving!
Water helps to prevent constipation. It adds fluids to the colon which makes things move more easily. Especially drinking cold water every morning before breakfast could help you to create a “bowel movement-routine”.
9) Stay awake!
Fatigue and tiredness are often caused by dehydration. In order to stay awake and energized all day you should consider drinking more water.
10) Get the best out of your nutrients!
Since water helps to transport nutrients into our cells, we need it to absorb nutrients from the food we eat. Not drinking enough might cause you to lose some of these important nutrients.
I bet you have some questions about this. Here are the answers.
How much water should I drink?
I’m sure you’ve heard it before. “Drink eight 8-ounce glasses of water a day.” This formula is easy to remember but out-dated and has never been scientifically proven to be correct.
The Institute of Medicine suggests for men to drink about 104 ounces (13 cups) a day and for women to drink about 72 ounces (9 cups) a day. But this would be too easy, right? Everyone is and lives differently so these indications might have to be adjusted for each individual (depending on activity level, environment, health status…). If you want to be sure you are drinking enough water talk to your doctor.
Does drinking ice cold water burn more calories?
Yes. Before your body can use the water to hydrate your body it has to “heat” the ice cold water up to your body temperature. Per 8 ounces of ice water your body uses approximately 1 to 8 calories to convert the water to your body temperature.
I don’t like water – what now?
About 20% of your water intake is ensured if you eat a lot of veggies or fruits with a high water content (watermelon, celery, tomatoes…). Consider adding flavor to your water by using any kind of fruit (please use “real” fruit and no chemical water enhancers).
Any other fluids (coffee, tea, juice…) also count towards your water intake but try to make water your number one beverage and avoid sugary drinks like soda or concentrated juices.
Is it possible to drink too much water?
Yes, it is possible to drink too much water. It gets dangerous when we take in too much water than our kidney can process. For someone with extremely (!) healthy kidneys this would be around 30 ounces of water an hour (PLEASE don’t drink that much). Drinking too much water can lead to “water intoxication”. Sounds strange but it is true. If you are already drinking a lot of water and are suffering from any of the following symptoms, please overthink your water intake: decreased mental focus, decreased metabolism, headaches, nausea, insomnia, cold hands and feet.
I need to be reminded on drinking my water – any advice?
How about trying this amazing water bomb? It helps you to keep your water intake under control and spread it out evenly during the day (you won’t drink too much or too little water an hour) and motivates you to keep going!
Eat up and lift heavy 