By this day and age the importance of proper hydration, both in sports and as a general health / weight loss tip, should be well established. So I'll skip over the statistical regurgitation and get to the point. My approach to hydration is no different than any other fitness and health oriented advice that I offer. That is, it is the minimum effective dose to achieve your goals given your needs and circumstances.
A bit of hypocrisy here, just to mention some statistics, but its just to get the ball rolling. There are many different "professional recommendations" pertaining to the amount of water a person should drink per day. The reason for the variance is no different than the dynamic market of dieting plans floating about pop culture. The reason is that there can be no "blanket effect" or mass prescription given the variance of people's genetics, lifestyle, and activity level. Now, about these statistics... I have heard (I don't have the source on hand, sorry) that the human body can absorb a MAXimum of 1 quart (32 oz) of water per hour. Given that there are 24 hours in a day, and you should be sleeping for 8 of them, that leaves 16 hours for drinking (water :-D). Therefore, your body can make use of no more than 16 qt of water per day, which is 4 gallons, the rest is simply waste. Another recommendation that I have heard is that people should be consuming one ounce of water per pound of body weight. If, for the sake of easy math, we take a 200 lb male for example; he should be drinking 200oz of water per day. That is about 1.5 gallons per day (there are 128 oz in a gallon). Yet another recommendation I have seen is that you should try to drink 8oz of water every hour which would mean in a 16 hour day you should drink one gallon even per day.
So far we have learned that your body can absorb a maximum of 4 gallons of water per day without wasting any. If you're a 200 lb male you should be drinking somewhere between 1 and 1.5 gallons per day. So, here is my "simple" solution to meeting your needs...
Note: I am not a doctor, follow this advice at your own risk and heed your physician's instructions before mine.
*At all times during this guide you should, by all means, be drinking if you are thirsty! The opposite is also true that if you feel nauseated, don't keep drinking until you vomit. That would certainly be counter productive!
1) Things you will needs: A) An empty 20oz Gatorade or soda bottle for your gym bag, and B) a 16oz coffee mug or cup that holds about 16oz of water for your desk
2) On the day you intend to start this plan: First thing int he morning, after slapping the alarm clock and heading to the bathroom, but BEFORE you put the coffee on, turn on the TV, or check Facebook on your phone fill the glass up and take a few hearty slugs off it. Continue about your morning routine but makes sure the glass is empty before you leave for work / school and be sure to take the mug with you.
3) When you first set up shop at your first class or get settled in your cubical, fill the glass up again and take a few swigs. Each time you go to the bathroom remember to take a few more when you return. (for students that have a locker and not a permanent desk, another Gatorade bottle works well instead of the coffee mug) Try to have the first mug / bottle gone by the time you go to lunch.
4) At your lunch break follow the same routine as your breakfast. Fill the glass, take a few sips right away, drink whatever you like with your meal, and finish the water before heading back to work or class. Now the day is half over and you already have 3/8 of a gallon in you.
5) The second half of your work day should follow the same routine as Step 2. Fill the glass and leave it on your desk and try to have it finished before you head home.
6) Now its time to hit the gym if after work. If you're a morning workout person, then just apply this step where its needed. Aim to drink one of your bottles or mugs during your workout, save the pre/post workout shakes for those times. After your workout you should try to guzzle down another one between the time you say "that's it for today" and when you put the car in park in the driveway (don't make yourself sick though).
7) Supper should follow the same principles as breakfast and lunch if possible. This isn't too much of a hang up if your not thirsty from drinking so much on the way home from the gym and I'm sure you worked up an appetite.
8) Lastly, try to finish another 16oz throughout the remainder of the evening. It would even be better if you could slosh down a little extra after brushing your teeth before calling it a night.
AND THERE YOU HAVE IT! A no excuses, easy to follow guide to drink an entire gallon of water in a single day. Live well, be smart, and train hard!
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