Water is the SLIGHT EDGE… easy to drink, easy not to drink. However, the benefits of consistent, proper hydration over time are numerous for health, fitness and general well-being. Get your water, people!
From the USGS Water Science School, typical studies indicate that up to 60% of the human, adult body consists of water. The general benefits of water include…
I can tell you from personal experience that when I am not properly hydrated my mental clarity suffers while I also feel general fatigue in my body and tendency for sore muscles. In fact, and likely related, my lower back degeneration, bulges and disc herniation are extremely sensitive to my hydration levels. I suppose that this may not be all that surprising given that the disc contains fluid that helps maintain integrity and functions as “shock absorber” in my spine (my MRI results have shown some disc dehydration). I have also found that proper hydration facilitates higher energy levels, peak muscle function and less cramping. Oh, and water has always been a good bet to cure a nasty headache or hangover. Just saying…
Insufficient water may lead to overheating, heat exhaustion, cramping, dizziness and muscle cramps, among other challenges. It is well known that if you are thirsty, you are probably already dehydrated. Thus, the key is to drink water in smaller amounts at regular intervals throughout the day.
So, how much water should you drink?
Great question. The answer to this question is certainly a topic of much debate. Ever since my early days playing competitive sports growing up, I have always prescribed to the simple urine hydration test, where the clearer the color of your urine generally correlates with the more hydrated your body.
A couple notes on urine color… you want to target light/pale yellow color. Clear urine is not necessarily good. In fact, I almost had to be rushed to the hospital years ago from TOO much water (water poisoning). I was working hard outside in the Summer heat one day and was constantly drinking water out of the hose throughout the course of the day (thinking I was doing my body good, urine was clear). However, I was not eating much and ended up diluting my electrolytes to dangerous levels. I became dizzy and sick, confined to my bed for many hours. I would have benefited in that case from food or drink that maintained my electrolyte levels similar to many of the sports drinks on the market (by the way, those sports drinks in my mind are not otherwise meant for normal people with normal activity levels). One other occurrence of my dehydration was during a visit to Nashville for a conference. I did a lot of walking outside in the high temperature, high humidity environment. I noticed that I stopped sweating after awhile, which is a bad sign since I no longer had my efficient internal cooling system up and running! I ended up getting heat exhaustion in that case. It was brutal.
One more fun fact on urine, if there is such a thing. When you eat beets your urine turns red. This is normal! I almost had a heart attack the first time I noticed red urine after a killer, healthy beet salad.
Back to your original question… how much water should you drink?
As mentioned. the urine test is a good indicator for your specific situation as well as how you feel/perform in your workouts and daily life. Some people recommend 22 ounces of fluid for every 1 hour of activity level. This is a pretty good target from my experience. Others say generally drink 8, 8-ounce glasses of water per day, however, this does not take into account activity level, climate, elevation and stats (height, weight, sex, age, etc.). You will hear anywhere from 40 ounces for kids up to 100+ ounces for high activity levels, men and nursing women. Some say drink half your weight in ounces of water, or 1 ounce per body weight for highly active gym rats. Regardless, always consult your medical professional for advice with any guidance or concerns on hydration levels for your specific circumstances.
Pro tip: Start your day off with 16 ounces of cold water to hydrate and fire up your metabolism via thermic effects while flushing toxins and giving your brain much-needed fuel after sleep!
Get yourself a water bottle with known capacity to make your life much easier! For me, I try to target 100 ounces to a gallon of water each day when seriously active. That means filling up my 25-ounce TEAM RAGE water bottle 4-5 times per day. Simple enough, works for me!!
Finally, some of my favorite foods with high water content to help with your hydration include watermelon, cucumbers, spinach, berries, green peppers and celery.
No excuses, GET YOUR WATER PEOPLE and STAY SAFE. Your body will thank you as you create a well-hydrated, functioning machine to take on the everyday mental and physical challenges of life!
