We all hear so many people talk about diet and how to put on weight or lose it. Calories and macros are all people talk about but leave out micronutrients and liquid intake. Now i’ll talk about micronutrients another day but what I want to discuss is water. Water is the greatest liquid on this Earth. Everyone knows that human life cannot exist without it, but here in America where clean, fresh water is available, we don’t drink enough of it. Now these posts are going to be directed to those into fitness, bodybuilding, athletics, or dieting but anyone can take advice from me even though I may not be the most credible or have the best background, but I would like to think I know a little about it.
If you’re not drinking at least a gallon of water a day you’re doing it wrong. yeah yeah I know you don’t want to spend half your day pissing it right back out but h20 is critical whether your looking to put on weight or lose it. When I started taking my training and nutrition seriously I was shocked to see how much water affected how I looked, felt, and acted.
The human adult body is roughly 60% water. The brain and heart are about 73% water supporting claims that drinking more supports brain and heart functionality, and the skin, muscles, and kidneys are 79%. Right there you can see that most of what we are is water, and most of us don’t drink enough.
Let’s talk about the benefits that water has to your training. Drinking enough water can help support joint lubrication and joint health which most people don’t think about until they have problems with their joints. Since water compromises the majority of your muscles drinking enough will help fill them out. Water is also very important in delivering oxygen all throughout the body.
Digestion is also hugely influenced by how much water we consume. Water forms saliva which helps in the breakdown of food when it enters out mouth. Once it enters the stomach it helps break down those nutrients into components we can digest. Those vital carbs and proteins that we consume are metabolized and transported by water through our blood. I can tell a serious difference in how food processes through me when i’ve had a good amount of water than a day versus when I haven’t drank enough.
If you find yourself saying “There’s no way I can drink a gallon or more in a day!” quit making excuses. A lot of times it is difficult to have water on you at all times but make it a priority. Go buy yourself a cheap liter water bottle and go through it 4 times a day and you’ve reached that gallon. If it makes it easier, keep a gallon jug dedicated to just water which you fill up in the morning and make sure it’s empty before you go to bed. It’s easy to get a good half gallon in during training but get water in outside of it. Make sure you’re filling up that liter full every time you leave the house so you’re not caught with it empty. You’ll get adjusted to going to the bathroom but you’ll be happy to know that it’s helping flush out those waste products and toxins in your system.