I think we can probably all agree that water consumption is important. Blah, blah, blah — You’ve heard your whole life that you need to be properly hydrated, so I’ll spare you the nagging lecture. In fact, I think we’ve all heard it so much that we tend to tune it out and just keep doing what we’ve always done instead of being intentional about staying hydrated. So, I want to point out what are, in my opinion, some of the KEY benefits to consuming more water. And I’m also going to give you some of my personal tips on how to hit your daily water goals as well as what that daily goal should look like.
WHY you need more water
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Water is good for your brain.
The majority of the brain is made up of water. In order for you to be firing on all cylinders, it’s critical that you feed your brain the water it needs to perform. It helps transport oxygen and nutrients that are critical for optimal brain function. When your brain doesn’t get enough water, you will likely notice negative side effects.You know that foggy feeling you sometimes get later in the afternoons? Drink more water. Are you getting headaches several times a week or even daily? Drink more water. Have you already zoned out reading this post? Drink more water. Do you walk into rooms and forget what you’re supposed to be doing there? Get in your time machine and travel back to when you were a teenager. And also, drink more water.
Water helps with digestion and nutrient absorption.
Water helps you move waste through your body. It works with the acids in your stomach to break down the foods you eat, making them pass through the digestive process more easily. And, it helps to ensure that you’re getting the most out of the foods you eat by assisting with nutrient absorption. Why eat the broccoli if it’s going to pass right on through without giving you any real nutrient benefits?! Water also helps to flush toxins out of your system. Toxins = Ew, David.
Water promotes healthy joints.
Your joints are protected by cartilage, which is a tissue that serves as a cushion between your bones and keeps them from rubbing directly together. Cartilage is kept lubricated by synovial fluid which is made up of primarily, yep, water! The more water you drink, the more hydrated you’ll keep your cartilage and the less achy and rickety you’ll feel.
Water is good for your skin.
Your skin is your largest organ (do you feel like you’re in 6th grade science class yet?), and it’s made up of mostly water. You have to feed it. If you don’t feed it, it will look very sad — I’m talking dry, tight, flaky, and dull. Additionally, water helps your skin retain moisture and, thus, increases it’s elasticity which means fewer wrinkles. The list of skin benefits is pretty impressive — smaller pores, reduced puffiness, reduced acne, overall tightening, and on and on.
HOW MUCH water you need
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I know I sold you on the wrinkle reduction, so let’s talk numbers. I think we’ve all heard the age old rule of thumb for water consumption — eight 8-ounce glasses per day. This is called the 8×8 rule, and it equates to about half a gallon of water. However, that paints a pretty broad brush and assumes that we are all the same weight, size, and have the same fitness goals. Which, duh, we’re all different.
Another general guideline for the amount of water you should consume is half of your body weight in ounces. So, if you weigh 140 pounds, you should drink 70 ounces of water per day. Then, you should add about 12 ounces for every 30 minutes that you exercise per day.
Too much math? I feel you. I found this handy calculator that I feel is pretty accurate.
For the sake of simplicity, I personally aim for a gallon a day and it has made a world of difference.
TIPS for increasing your water intake
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If you’re not used to consuming the amount of water that you *should* be, it can be a little daunting to step outside of your normal habits. Here are a few pro tips.
{1} Get a big jug.
Seriously. This is my #1 tip. It really helps you track your water intake, and seeing how much you have left to consume to hit your daily goals keeps everything front and center. I’ve tried an embarrassing amount of water bottles, jugs, and thermoses. I can say that BY FAR my favorite water jug is my HydroJug. This thing goes everywhere with me. It holds half a gallon of water, so I’m only filling up twice a day. You can also add a HydroSleeve that keeps your water cool and comes complete with pockets and a strap. DID YOU HEAR ME? I SAID POCKETS! The pockets are perfect for keys and your phone, and the strap frees up your hands to round up kids or haul around your accidental shopping bags (just me? ok.) You can even use my code JESSOFMOSTTRADES10 at checkout for 10% off your purchase!
{2} Use a straw.
I don’t really have any science to throw at you to support this tip, I just know that it works. Drinking through a straw is much easier (but maybe less fun?) than tossing back a half gallon bottle. I recommend either the HydroStraw or this similar Amazon find.
{3} Drink early.
Try to consume 2/3 of your daily water amount by early afternoon. Otherwise, you’ll find yourself trying to chug to the finish line close to bedtime. And then you will wake up to pee all night. Ask me how I know.
{4} Don’t ice it down.
Don’t drink your water ice cold. It’s easier to down water when it’s not super cold. Of course, if you’re exercising or outside in hot temperatures, obviously you’ll want cold water. But if you’re sitting at your desk or going about your normal daily routine, try it at (or slightly colder than) room temperature and see if that helps you get through it faster.
Bottoms (or straws) up, y’all!
