How to drink water… Hydration hacks that won’t have you peeing all day
Photo by Engin Akyurt on Unsplash
Did you know that your body is made up of around 60% water, your muscles are nearly 75% water, and even your brain is about 80% water?
That means that every thought you think, every step you take, every workout you crush - all of it depends on hydration. In summer, when heat drains your body faster, water becomes your most powerful tool for energy, fat loss, and performance.
Yet many people struggle to drink water. Some forget. Others choose not to - to avoid multiple trips to the bathroom. But if done properly, this won’t happen. Here’s how to drink water.
Sip, don’t chug
Think of your body like dry soil in a flowerpot. If you pour a whole bucket of water on your plant at once, it just rushes down the sides and leaks out the bottom. However, if you trickle the water slowly, the soil will thoroughly absorb every drop.
Same goes for our body. It prefers drip irrigation.
This leads to better absorption. Our body can only absorb about 200–250ml of water every 15–20 minutes. When we sip slowly, the water is gradually absorbed through our stomach and intestines, hydrating our cells efficiently.
Our body can’t store large amounts of water at once. If you chug, most of it gets flushed out quickly.
And when you don’t sip regularly - but flood your system by downing a big glass of water - you force your kidneys to work harder to process sudden large volumes. This is extra work they don’t need… and you end up peeing more frequently. Which, as we all know, can be very inconvenient.
How much water to drink
There is no one-size-fits-all when it comes to how much water to drink in a day. However, normally, the amount of water ranges between 2.7 litres a day for women and 3.6 litres for men.
This should then be increased during exercise or when living in heated climates. Other factors that may impact the amount of water you need include: if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, living in a hot environment, physically active for long periods or ill or recovering from an illness.
When to drink water
Morning: 1 glass to wake up your system
Before meals: 300–500ml
During workouts: sip every 10–15 minutes
After workouts: replace sweat loss
All day: small, frequent sips
The false hunger trick
Ah yes. And there is something else worth knowing about water: Your brain uses the exact same signal to tell you that you’re hungry and thirsty. So next time you get in the mood for a snack, try sipping some water instead and wait for 10 to 15 minutes.
More than half the time, you’ll notice that the craving you had will completely vanish.
So here’s a goal for the coming week.
Sip your daily target plus 500ml extra water every day this week. Small sips, all day - not big gulps. Feel the difference in energy, mood, and performance.
About the author
Hi there,
I’m a fitness coach and certified personal trainer - a path I chose out of pure passion.
I truly believe that small goals can go a long way, and now I help others discover tools that help them feel strong, healthy, and capable of reaching their fitness goals.
You can follow me on my Facebook page Revive & Thrive
Jeanine
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