Water is vital to our life. But as it always happens, we tend to take the most important things in our lives for granted because it is always present. So sometimes we need a reminder about its importance and to appreciate its significance in our life.
Water is the most abundant substance not only on earth but also in our body. 71% of the earth’s surface is covered with water. As infants, 75% of our body is made up of water which drops to 60% as adults.
Your brain and heart are 73% water. Your muscles contain 79% water. The blood is 92% water. Even the bones which appear solid is 31% water.
Our body appears solid from the outside, but inside it is filled with fluid. Do not underestimate the importance of drinking water to keep your body hydrated. Many biochemical reactions in our body will not happen without water.
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Want to know some benefits of drinking water?
- Water is necessary for the uptake of nutrients to the cells and tissues.
- It regulates body temperature.
- Drinking ample water is essential for smooth kidney functioning. It helps in removing the waste from the body.
- Keeping yourself well-hydrated prevents constipation.
- It also keeps your skin moisturized which prevents premature wrinkling, making you look younger and fresher.
- Drinking enough water helps lubricate your joints and spinal cord.
- It boosts blood oxygen circulation.
- Water is essential for a sharper brain functioning.
- It helps maintain blood pressure.
It is a shield that is protecting your body on every level.
Drinking water during exercise is good or bad?
From the exercise point of view, it improves performance, builds tissues, and maintains the electrolyte balance. 4-5% drop in water will reduce your muscular and aerobic endurance by 20-30 %. Dehydration will reduce cardiovascular function and make physical activities difficult to perform.
When you exercise, your muscle cells produce heat which is carried by water in the blood towards the surface which helps you maintain the temperature balance.
A study showed that 1.5% reduction in water weight will reduce the bench press strength by 5.6%. 3% water loss will decrease muscle strength by 10%.
If you lose more than 10% body’s water then there is a considerable risk that you could die.
How much water should you drink to keep yourself hydrated?
You must have heard the general recommendation of drinking 8 glasses of water every day. But making a generalized assumption may not work for everyone as every individual has a specific requirement depending on his/her daily physical activity, work environment (office or field job), climate etc.
The Institute of Medicine determined that the adequate requirement of water for men is around 3 litres and for women around 2.2 litres.
This is generally a good recommendation to get started with monitoring your water intake.
But if you are interested in a specific calculation according to your body
Then there is a simple formula
1 to 1.5 ml per kilocalorie (or simply calories) you burn in a day.
First, calculate your total daily calories. You can calculate your daily calories by clicking here.
Then multiply the total daily calories by 1 or 1.5ml
So, if your total daily calories are 2000 you will require 2000*1 =2liters or 2000*1.5 = 3liters
Total Calories | Water Required |
2000 | 2.0 – 3.0 litres |
2500 | 2.5 – 3.75 litres |
3000 | 3.0 – 4.5 litres |
How much water you should drink during exercise?
The amount of water required during exercise varies depending on the type of exercise and its duration. During the workout, apply the sipping protocol where you take small sips of water between every 1 or 2 sets.
If you workout for 1 hour then finish around 1 litre. If you tend to sweat a lot then you can go up to 1.5 litres.
Can drinking water help lose belly fat?
Water may not have a direct effect but there are many ways in which water can boost the fat loss process. Water is essential for all metabolic activities. Breakdown of the nutrients from Proteins, Carbs, and Fats during digestion require water (a process called hydrolysis). It speeds up many biological reactions inside the cell. It is a must for anabolism.
Drinking water before having your meal is also good to keep the number of calories in check. It also helps to lubricate your oesophagus (food pipe) so the food can pass smoothly.
How to keep track of your water intake?
There are many apps available to track your water intake which you can use. Or a simple method is to carry a 1-litre bottle with you and finish it 3-4 time in a whole day. This will let you know how much water you drank in a day.
I am sure after reading this article you must be feeling thirsty. Go and have some water!
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