21 Day Challenge – At Home Tip #4

Craig Boyd

May 2, 2020

21-Day Challenge Tip #4: Water

Why Drink Water?

Proper hydration is vital for overall health. Without sufficient water intake, the body will become dehydrated-meaning your body doesn’t have enough water to function normally.

You lose water every day when you breathe, sweat and go to the bathroom. You replenish this through the water content in the foods you eat and the beverages you drink.

Hydration is also essential for peak athletic performance. When you don’t consume enough liquid or nutrients (such as fresh fruits and vegetables) to stay properly hydrated, you can end up feeling thirsty and light headed. But by the time you feel thirsty, your body is already dehydrated. Insufficient hydration fatigues your muscles, reduces your coordination and causes muscle cramps.

Proper hydration will help with the absorption of water soluble vitamins C and B complex. Water consumption is also necessary to flush out the colons, where many types of diseases can originate.

How Much Water Do You Need?

Recommended water intake is 1.5 to 3 liters per daydepending on body weight, activity level and climate. For example, fitness enthusiasts exercising during hot weather require more water to stay properly hydrated.

Looking at the color of your urine is one way to know how hydrated you are. Light yellow or colorless urine typically indicates proper hydration, but dark yellow urine is a common indicator of dehydration.

To figure out how much you need, see this water calculator.

What to Do

According to a study by researchers from Virginia Tech reported at the 2010 National Meeting of the American Chemical Society, you should consume part of the water required for proper daily hydration before your meals to control your appetite. Drinking 16 oz. of water before meals three times a day over a 12-week period increased average weight loss by about 5 lbs, compared with those who did not increase water intake. Researchers could not definitively say what caused the additional weight loss but speculate it fills up the stomach making you feel fuller.

Invest in a larger size portable water bottle (750-1500 ml) to prevent running out of water frequently. Purchase a metal bottle with a stainless steel interior to avoid the toxins that can leach out of plastic containers. A water bottle also makes it easy to track your water intake levels throughout the day.

Source: Article adapted from Live Strong.