Did you know that drinking enough water is essential for building lean muscle & preventing fatigue? Find out whether you’re getting enough water and some sure-fire ways to ensure you stay adequately hydrated!

How much water have you had today? Research shows you probably haven’t had enough. Did you know that over half of all Aussies suffer from some degree of dehydration?! And the worrying part is, most of us don’t even know it.

Adequate hydration is essential for our health & well-being. Water is necccessary for optimal brain function; it improves concentration, decision making and prevents mental fatigue. So if you find yourself getting tired throughout the day or are constantly getting headaches, you could be dehydrated!

Staying hydrated also enhances anabolic hormones and promotes muslce growth! If you are working out regularly & trying to grow lean muscle & lose body fat, drinking water it essential! Water will help regulare your heart rate & body temp druing training, promote normal muscle functioning, reduce muscle cramping, allow your muscles to adequately recover from training and help them grow in size & strength!

 How Much Water Do I Need To Drink?

This differs for every indvidiual but a general water target is 2 litres/day. If you are training regularly or are an elite athlete, you will require more.

How Do I Ensure I Meet My Water Target?  

To stay hydrated, you need to drink regularly throughout the day inlcuding the days that you train and the days that you have off training. Start drinkinng water as soon as you wake up in the morning and continually drink water throughout the day, including with meals and snacks.

Your best strategy is to carry a water bottle everywhere with you. I have a drink bottle from The Big Bottle Co and love it! It’s a giant 2.2Litre bottle which makes tracking my water intake very easy – all I need to do is aim to finish 1 x The Big Bottle Co  drink bottle each day. Plus being 2.2Litres means I don’t need to continually re-fill my water bottle, so I have no excuses but to meet my 2Litre water target!

How Do I Know If I’m Drinking Enough Water?

In most cases, you will be able to tell if you are adequatly hydrated based on the colour of your urine. The lighter your urine, the better hydrated you are. However, don’t use thirst as an indicator of hydration. When you feel thirsty, you’re body is already about 2% dehydrated, so you actually need to drink so you don’t register a thirst sensation. Chronic headaches and dry eyes, lips, mouth and throat can also be signs of dehydration.

How Do I Stay Hydrated For My Workouts?

For training, you need to start your session well hydrated, which means drinking water the night before or morning of your wokout. You should then consume around 200-600ml immediately before your session & if possible, drink small amounts regularly during your session so you don’t get thirsty – you can aim for 200-300ml every 15-20minutes.

Rehydration after training is essential too and will mean you are able to start your next session hydrated. Over the 2-6hours after training, you should aim to replace 150% of the fluid you lost. Your body will continue to lose fluids through sweat and urine, so be sure to drink fluids with your recovery snacks and next meal.

If you are an elite althlete, you can calculate your own personal fluid losses using the formula below.

1. Monitor your weight before and after exercise. Jump on the scales before warming up with minimal clothing and shoes.
2. Go through your training session, taking note of any fluid and food intakes during the session. At the end, wipe off excess sweat, and repeat step 1.
3. The difference between 1 and 2, plus your intakes, will give a good idea of how much fluid you’ve lost. (1 kilo = 1 litre).

10 Reasons To Stay Hydrated

1. Regulates your heart rate & body temperature
2. Prevents fatigue and allows your muscles to contract
3. Improves concentration & decision making
4. Improves motor control & skill levels
5. Enhances anabolic hormones & promotes muscle growth
6. Helps digestion & prevents bowel problems like constipation
7. Circulates blood & nutrients around your body to your muscles & vital organs
8. Prevents chronic pain – sore joints can often be a symptom of long-term dehydration if it cannot be explained as injury or infection
9. Prevents injuries, muscle tears and heat stroke
10. Helps your organs flush out toxins

Sponsored Content: This article is proudly sponsored by The Big Bottle Co. Why? Because I love The Big Bottle Co and only recommend companies/brands/products that I truly believe in and who share the same approach to health as I do. All opinions are my own and not influenced in any way.

And a big congratulations to @barbora_yoga who is the winner of the The Big Bottle Co giveaway! Please email rebecca.gawthorne@gmail.com with your full name, address and contact number to claim your prize!