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This picture sums me up well. I drink lots of water. Close to 6 liters a day. Yes that’s 1.5 US gallons of water daily.
I often get the remark that I drink too much. That it’s not healthy. “Don’t you have to pee all the time?”
Try 10 days fasting. No problem. Now try 10 days without drinking.
You need water. This post will give you the why’s & how’s.
Why Do You Need to Drink Water?
- Exercise causes waterloss. Rehydration is essential for recovery.
- Water cleanse. Your body needs water to flush toxins & waste.
- Avoiding constipation. Water & fiber are important for a healthy stool.
- Healthy kidney’s. I believe low water intake causes kidney stones.
- Less fluid retention. No more swollen feet, legs, hands or bloated face.
- Biochemical processes in your body need water.
- Less hungry. If you’re dieting, drinking lots of water will help.
How Much Water Should You Drink? Nutritionists recommend 8 eight-ounce glasses of water a day. This guideline is for the Average Joe eating 1500-2000 kcal a day, basic caloric needs for the average sedentary person who does not gain weight.
8 eight-ounce glasses equals 1,9 liter. So the basic rule is 1 liter water per 1000 calories.
If you exercise like me, you’ll probably get at least 3000 kcal a day. Because exercising causes dehydration, a gallon a day is suitable. Yep that’s right, that’s 4 liter water daily.
The more you exercise & eat, the more you need to drink. Thus, a better rule is 1 liter per 1000 kcal you expend. By using the calories you expend rather than those you consume, exercising is part of the equation.
How Can You Build The Habit of Drinking More Water? Ok, so you want to up your water consumption. Here’s how to start
- Drink 2 glasses of water when you wake up: one before & one after your breakfast.
- Drink 2 glasses of water every 3 hours.
- Drink half a liter of water during you workout.
- Drink water after you have exercised. A solid Post Workout Shake should take care of this.
- Take a bottle of water with you wherever you go.
Using this method you’ll get about 4 liters (a US gallon) of water a day.
Frequently Asked Questions
“Can you drink too much water?” Yes, but this requires a conscious effort from your part. Drink 1 gallon a day, you’ll be safe.
“Will I have to pee more?” Yes, but you’ll get used to it.
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I have been on both sides of the water issue. Many, many moons ago, when training for an Ironman triathlon, I drank water, water, and water, and then some more water. When it came time to race, I made it through the swim and about 90 miles on the bike and my body just completely shut down; causing me to basically lay down on the side of the road and wait for assistance. The doctors later said that I had flushed all my electrolytes and could have seriously injured myself. As it was, it took me about 6-9 months to get back to normal.
On another occasion, I drank too much gatorade/not enough water. And then because I was feeling “droopy”, drank a Red Bull. That little incident overloaded my electrolytes and knocked me out, passed out and in dire need of an IV. Again, took me several months after to get back to normal.
For my system, if I get one bottle of a gatorade type drink per 3-4 bottles of water, that’s about perfect. Especially if it’s hot and humid. Everyone’s system is different, and it takes some figuring to find out where you sit in the formula…
Good article, thanx
Great story catfish, thanks for sharing. Not enough & too much water are both risky as you experienced.
When I train, I take little sips of water. Too much & you’ll get dizzy in my experience.
Yes - exactly! My main form of competition now is shooting - we spend all day outside and in the Texas heat, that can be a killer if you’re not prepared. I beat the heat and take care of any problems by carrying water in a camelback type backpack and just sip along all day long. Last weekend went through over 2 liters of water!!
Nice drinking catfish
I’d love to do some shooting one day too.
It keeps me sane, to say the least…. Today another scorcher, over 101… Went through about 4 liters of fluid and still drinking water the rest of the day to keep the heat off me.
If you’re ever planning a trip to these parts, (North Texas) let me know, we can arrange as much trigger time as you want.
Texas is a big trip for me (I’m from Belgium remember). But I won’t forget your invitation
if i drink 1.5 gallons of water of day do you think ill be fine or is that too much. i need to asap. thanx
That should be enough water daily MH.
Are there any other ways to replace electrolytes other than buying gatorade? I know in cases of dehydration, a pinch of salt can be added to your water, but I’m not sure this is really the same thing.
I know when I’m out on the road on a long ride in the sun, I can’t just drink water. I start cramping up badly half way through. Though some days I’ve been known to sweat up to 4-6 litres in a few hours. Replacing every few bottles of water with a Gatorade keeps me from cramping up though.
I’m just wondering about some cheap alternatives to Gatorade…