Water is important. We all know that.
What you might not know, though, is the actual reason WHY water is important for your health and your results, and what the consequences of not drinking enough water are.
The reality is … whether you're trying to lose weight, gain muscle, or just live a healthier lifestyle overall...
You’re not reaching your potential or maximizing the results from all of your hard work if you're not drinking enough water.
It’s interesting that when many people hear they need to drink water, they respond with something along the lines of … “Yea yea, I know I need to drink more water.” Then change nothing …
Sound familiar?
Don’t feel too bad … many people are in the same spot, and I was one of them as well for a long time.
I wasn't taking my water intake seriously and instead, treating it more like an afterthought.
But the reality of the situation is that water plays a huge role in our health AND results.
Simply put, most people do not drink enough water in a day.
Now, to fully understand what I am talking about, let me define "enough".
It will vary from person to person based on multiple factors such as size, age, gender, activity level, lifestyle, training style, and so on … but let’s talk about a good baseline and starting point.
In this case, 100 to 120 oz of water is my benchmark for “enough.”
It does not matter what your goals are, your body type, your workouts, or any other variables … water is essential to life, and essential to helping you reach your goals.
Therefore, it's beneficial for you to make drinking 100oz of water, or more, a part of your everyday lifestyle.
Benefits of Drinking Water
Not only does water make up approximately 70% of the human body, but it is also considered the second most critical factor in sustaining life.
Oxygen is first, and we all make sure to get plenty of that a day! Water is involved in thousands of processes every day. For example, your body relies on water to help with:
• Brain Function
• Metabolizing Fat
• Regulating Body Temperature
• Digestion
• Proper Joint Function
• Nutrient Delivery
• Hunger Cues
and the list goes on …
Another point worth making is the fact that if you're not properly hydrated, you are not only missing out on the benefits, but you are also living with the negative side effects of dehydration ... some of which you might not even notice at first!
A quick example is the fact that when you're dehydrated, your performance suffers, you'll get fatigued more quickly, you'll feel weaker, and it can cause a spike in hunger.
Plus, you will not be as mentally sharp during the day or in your workouts.
So, if you are someone who feels like you’re in a fog … drained … or thinking your pre-workout isn’t doing enough for you…
One simple thing to check before you worry about changing aspects of your plan is to make sure you are well-hydrated throughout the day.
What is sad is that many people have been living in a dehydrated state for so long that they don’t know they’re experiencing negative side effects.
Instead, they think this weakened/fatigued state is “normal.”
The Water Struggle
So, if there are so many benefits to drinking water … and it's essential for life … and crucial for earning results ... how come most people don’t drink enough water?
Well … what I have found through working with personal clients, as well as Transformers using the 1st Phorm App, is that in most cases, it’s because they are thinking about it the wrong way ... or not thinking about it at all!
See, drinking water is no different than any other aspect of earning results and actually reaching your goals.
It requires consistency of positive action (drinking enough water) over time to get the benefits.
And if you’re not currently consistent with drinking enough water, you will have to make some lifestyle adjustments to ensure you do hit your daily water needs.
Just like we both know that if you want to get into shape, you need to work out.
If you’re not currently working out, you have to make lifestyle adjustments to have it as part of your plan.
Same thing with meal/food prep. If you’re not already doing that, you have to make lifestyle adjustments to have it as part of your plan.
In both instances, you're going to have to make some sort of adjustment(s) to your day, invest some time in those activities, and get it done ... drinking enough water every day is no different.
The Role of Water in Your Results
Now, let's get this straight, there are consequences of making those lifestyle adjustments...
What do I mean? Well, think of it like this…
When you meal prep … you will have to clean the dishes.
When you work out … you will have to shower and do more laundry.
When you drink more water … you will have to go to the bathroom more.
They’re just three realities of the fitness lifestyle and earning the results you want.
It’s always interesting to me how many people are ok with and accept the first two realities of fitness, yet push back against the third.
Saying things like “I don’t want to spend the whole day in the bathroom” … or “I’ve tried to drink more water, but I end up having to use the restroom more.”
Which guys, that’s the point! Using the restroom is a natural process and how your body rids itself of toxins, waste products, and ultimately improves your health!
So yes, increasing your water consumption will most likely increase your restroom frequency, but that’s NOT A BAD THING … it’s actually a good thing.
Therefore, look at those extra few minutes in the restroom as an investment in your health.
Similar to taking that hour or two on Sunday to meal prep …
Or making the time to work out a little longer, or adding in another whole workout.
Plus, let’s not even get on the subject of how much time we all waste being inefficient with our day … or going down a YouTube rabbit hole … or checking in on social media…
Because the reality is, if the “added time” of using the restroom more is your reason or justification as to why you don’t drink more water … it’s an excuse, and you’re looking at the situation the wrong way.
How To Drink More Water During the Day
Now, 100-120 oz may sound like a lot of water to drink if you are not currently doing so, I get it. Keep in mind, though, that you’ll be spacing the 100 oz or more over the course of the ENTIRE day.
To make it easy on myself now, I just keep a shaker bottle with me throughout the day and fill it up as needed.
Then every time I drink a full one, I log it into my profile on the 1st Phorm App.
This way it gives me one less thing to have to remember during the day, and I can easily and quickly see how much more I need to drink before hitting 120oz.
But to even get into that habit … I first had to establish the habit of even remembering to drink water.
See, I used to really only drink water around my workouts.
Which is certainly a good idea for many reasons … but not nearly as beneficial as being hydrated throughout the day.
To help me remember to drink water, I put silent alarms/reminders on my phone.
I did silent, because like you, I get a million notifications … texts ... calls … etc. every day, and the last thing I want is one more chirp, chime, or beep going off!
But by having it on silent, the notification will appear while you use your phone, or will appear on the lock screen and be there the next time you use it!
Simply serving as a little reminder and putting “drink water” back into your conscious level of thinking.
Now, if you want to get real fancy, you can even put how much water you should have consumed by that point … but for me, I just set alarms for 6 am, 8 am, 11 am, 2 pm, 5 pm, and 8 pm. This way, I consciously think about drinking water at least 6 times a day!
After a few weeks, and making this a habit, I removed the alarms/reminders and have no issue now remembering to drink water throughout the day!
Another technique that I have seen work well is getting a large water jug that can help you track the amount of water you drink on a daily basis.
Then, all you have to worry about is finishing the water in 1-2 of those jugs each day, and more easily evaluate how you did.
But feel free to find an easy system that works for you. Because once again … when it comes to health, wellness, and earning results … consistency is key!
Therefore, the main thing will be figuring out how YOU can drink enough water every day.
Ways To Drink More Water
Clearly, drinking water and staying hydrated are important. Not only for your health, but also for your fitness goals.
If you really want to get technical, too, water isn't even the only component to maintaining proper hydration. You also need to make sure you have the proper balance of electrolytes, too. That's actually one of the reasons why we offer hydration sticks and other products to help.
But we'll save the topic of hydration for another day. If you’d like more ideas on ways to work water into your plan or have any other questions about the best way to get the results you're after, please contact us here at 1st Phorm anytime!
We have a full team of NASM Certified Personal Trainers and Nutrition Coaches right here in St. Louis, Missouri. Just give us a call at 1-800-409-9732 or send us an email at CustomerService@1stPhorm.com any day from 6 AM to 10 PM Central. We'll be more than happy to help in any way we can!
