Humans are 60% water, which really just means we’re walking cucumbers with anxiety. I however am probably like 5% water, 30% diet soda, and 25% coffee, which is obviously not what I want. I don’t know when this happened, but I do notice how little water I drink in a day. When I’m thirsty, I subconsciously just grab a Diet Coke and move on with my day (even after workouts). But Diet Coke has negative health benefits, while water has so so many, so I really want to put these to the test. If I up the amount of water I drink in a day for a whole week to the recommended 8 8-oz of water a day, will I feel better? Will I realize that I don’t feel so great right now?
The Health Benefits of Water
I thought, if I up the amount of water I drink in a day for a whole week eight 8 fl oz glasses of water a day (what the FDA recommends), would I feel better? Would I find that I didn’t feel so great to begin with and didn’t even realize it?
1. Increases Energy and Relieves Fatigue – Did you know your brain is mostly water?
2. Promotes Weight Loss – Sign me up!
3. Flushes Out Toxins – S/O to my detox teas for making up for the lack of water
Incase you haven’t heard or need a refresher, water is hella good for you. It’s benefits include:
4. Improves Skin Complexion – Bless up 🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼
5. Boosts Immune System – Time to become Wonder Woman!
All very exciting, let’s do this.
Day 1
Day 3
Day 2 was off to a fantastic start. I went to a cycling class early in the AM so I got started drinking water really early. I easily drank a full 24-oz of water on the bike to leaving the class alone, but I guess it’s necessary to count the water I lost from sweat. After the second bottle, I couldn’t stop running to the bathroom (sorry for the TMI). It was crazy, I was shocked, like is this normal? Day 3 was just kind of normal, running back and forth from the bathroom is getting obnoxious, I also really dislike drinking this much water. I’m over it. My skin hasn’t gotten better, but maybe I’m hoping for way too much…
Drinking water is exhausting. I felt so full — I honestly don’t believe people drink this much in a day. Eight glasses of water (each 8 fl oz) is equivalent to about four regular-sized bottles of water. I literally finished the first and never wanted to see water again, and I had to run to the bathroom every couple of minutes.
Day 5
It was hard for me to keep drinking — I felt full, even though I’d still be thirsty. I wondered if I really was this dehydrated. Unfortunately, the goal of consuming 64 fl oz of water was not met, but knew I’d be back at it tomorrow.
I feel really bloated and heavy, and it’s not particularly helping any bodily systems out. I know how important water is but I feel like drinking this much water sometimes leaves me more dehydrated in the mornings and just uncomfortable. I’ll go for runs and sweat a whole lot more, as even in the Miami heat, I’d barely sweat after running before this week. I’d also end workouts sweating like coffee or alcohol or whatever I splurged on the night before. Definitely makes me feel a bit healthier but not by much.
Day 7
Day 3 was the same routine; running back and forth from the bathroom was getting obnoxious. I also really disliked drinking this much water. I was over it. My skin hadn’t gotten any better, but maybe I was hoping for way too much.
And we’ve made it… My appetite didn’t particularly change, but that could’ve been because of extraneous variables. My body started reacting differently to workouts. I noticed that I felt less achey and sore the day after workouts because I’d really push myself to drink water after gym sessions or cardio. I’ve worked though to change my immediate urge to just grab a Diet Coke after a sweaty day out. Now, I grab a water and feel refreshed a lot faster.
Throughout this whole week, I haven’t stopped drinking my sodas and coffees/teas so maybe I was getting an appropriate amount of liquid in my day through those means and thus why I felt okay all the time. I also am more aware of the amount of water I drink so when I’m thirsty after finishing a soda, I don’t go directly back to soda – I balance myself out with water.
Obviously changes don’t happen as instantaneously as I would like them to but drinking water is clearly good for you. It’s important to keep your body clean and ready to protect itself.