Hydration

How Much Water Do You Drink Daily?

Drinking fluids serves a wide range of purposes such as waste elimination, controlling body temperature, heart rate and maintaining a healthy metabolism. Hydration is the balance of water and electrolytes in the body. This balance determines how most of our systems function including our nervous system and muscles.

Most people don’t realize how little water they’re drinking until their muscles begin cramping during a workout. Most recent studies show the recommended amount of water to drink is half your bodyweight in ounces in active individuals. This may seem like too much but consider that our body is 70% + of water. It makes sense that the water would need a source to replenish it.  If this seems daunting, start small and gradually build the habit of drinking water more consistently. An easy way to tell how hydrated you are is by the color of your urine.

Staying hydrated is good for the skin and other organs. It helps maintain normal body functions such as temperature regulation, joint lubrication and waste removal.  

Drinking water for weight loss

Are you interested in losing weight? Do you pee less than four times a day? Is your urine color on the darker side? If this sounds like you, you may lose some weight by drinking water consistently.  When water is in-consistently withheld from the body it will hold on to it. This means you’re more likely to hold on to water weight since your body doesn’t know when you’ll be getting more water. (Similar situation for food but that’s for another day).

Try this experiment out:

Weigh yourself first thing in the morning. Then over the course of the next 2-4 weeks gradually begin drinking more and more water. Once you’re drinking close to half your body weight in ounces of water weigh yourself again. Did you lose any water weigh? Most people who take on this challenge end up doing just that!

There are so many more reasons why we need to drink water regularly. Do you have any specific questions about hydration? Leave a comment and let me know!