This month I’m drinking

Now I know what you’re thinking, Brad’s off on a month bender, he’s still on holiday mode and had one too many fruity cocktails. But no, this month I’m making a conscious effort to drink more water. I am terrible at making sure I have drunk the recommend 2 litres a day and I am sure that I am not the only one.

But there are so many benefits to guzzling lots of H2O.

Many of us don’t know, but our body is comprised of 80% of water. Water is in our brain, blood, and our muscles. It is difficult for the body to get water from any other source than water itself. Soft drinks and alcohol steal tremendous amounts of water from the body. Other beverages such as coffee and tea are diuretics therefore stealing the water our body needs.

With that in mind, I really need to start raining in the Costa caramel lattes and start grabbing a chilled bottle of Evian. (other brands are available but I love the baby advert)

Water may very well be the most underrated nutrient—especially when it comes to any of us on a weight loss journey. Water plays such an important role with our metabolism. It is essential for proper digestion, nutrient absorption and chemical reactions. It is also allows for proper circulation in the body.

The levels of oxygen in the bloodstream are greater when the body is well hydrated. The more oxygen the body has readily available the more fat it will burn for energy. Without the presence of oxygen the body cannot utilize stored fat for energy efficiently. Not only will the body burn more fat, when well hydrated, but because there are increased oxygen levels you will also have more energy. Water also suppresses the appetite naturally and helps the body metabolize stored fat. Studies have shown that a decrease in water intake will cause fat deposits to increase, while an increase in water intake can actually reduce fat deposits.

Skinner and giving us more energy surely that’s a winner for all of us? Let’s go fill up our glasses now.

In simplest terms, when you’re dehydrated, your metabolism slows and so does your weight loss. A sluggish metabolism cannot burn calories as fast and efficiently as it does when you’re drinking the recommended amount of water on a daily basis. The fat tissue will stop having blood flow through it, and thus, no fat removal. Healthcare professionals agree that 64 ounces of water, spread out over the course of the day is an ideal amount to maintain the processes vital to weight loss. If you happen to be considerably overweight, an additional 8 ounces for every 25 pounds of excess weight is recommended.

We need to drink half our body weight in ounces of water every day to provide the body with its minimum water replacement requirements. Triple the intake for better results.

Additionally, without the proper amount of water, the body goes into survival mode. This means that your body prepares for a possible emergency situation by storing all the water it can get. It will take it from anywhere and store or “retain” it in places such as your ankles, hips, thighs and even around your stomach.

Signs of dehydration

Mild: thirst, headache, fatigue, flushed skin, dry mouth and throat. Daytime fatigue.

Moderate: rapid heart rate, dizziness, low blood pressure, weakness and lack of energy, highly concentrated urine but low in volume-

Severe: muscle spasms, swollen tongue, poor circulation, increased weakness, failing kidney function-

So, I have come up with a daily plan to keep me on track and to make sure I am drinking enough. I have even set alarms on my phone as a reminder of how much I should have drunk by that time of day.

Now I am not going to pretend this plan is rocket science, it is extremely simple and so easy I think even I will be able to stick to it.

My Daily Plan

As soon as I wake up. Drink between 300 – 600ml of water

1 hour later (before breakfast). Drink between 250 – 500ml of water

After every cup of coffee/tea. Drink between 100 – 250ml of water

20 Minutes before each main meal. Drink between 250 – 500ml of water

2 Hours before going to bed. Drink between 300 – 600ml of water

Total amount of water per day. Between 1200 – 2,450ml

Why not take on the drinking challenge this month and see if you can see the difference. I would love to hear how you are getting on and the effects you are having from drinking more water. If you are sharing your progress on social make sure to use the hashtag #imdrinking.

Work hard, train hard, drink more water.

Brad Gray