I Drank 4 Liters of Water Daily for 365 Days
Here are 3 things it gave me.
Most of the human body is water — an average of 60%. So, drinking enough water seems like a good plan. At least to keep you alive…
But what is “enough water”?
According to the U.S. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, we have different daily norms for men and women:
Won’t you blow up from that amount of water?
Well… you shouldn’t.
Every day you lose water through your breath, sweat, and visits to the bathroom. To function properly you must replenish the water supply. An obvious way is to drink or eat something containing water.
The above numbers and argumentation I found online sounded reasonable to me. So, 365 days ago, I decided to challenge myself with daily water drinking. Perhaps after-New-Year hangover played some role too…
The initial deal was the next. Drink at least 12 cups of water or any other liquids per day.
20% of the water we receive with food, so I calculated that it compensates leftover daily norm of 4 cups.
Here are 3 things that become better after that 12-month drinking challenge.
Improved metabolism
I lost 2kg in 3 months. At the same time, my appetite increased. That was unexpected.
After researching the role of water in metabolism and body balance, I discovered the following. Drinking water increases metabolism by 25% for an hour after drinking it. That means if you drink a cup of water every hour, you’ll keep your metabolism at peak performance all day.
It is like throwing lumps of coal into the firebox of a locomotive all day long. It produces more energy and works stably. Each cup of water is a lump of coal for your internal engine.
A pleasant bonus was that stable-high metabolism may lead to losing weight. It wasn’t my initial goal, but I lost 4kg of fat during the year. 2kg in the first 3 months, and 2kg more in the following 9 months.
The progress in the first months was quite large. Then came the classic growth plateau that slowed it down.
Takeaway: You can use everyday drinking to improve metabolism and affect body mass.
Muscle Tone
Firstly I noticed a better muscle tone. Then I did the research to understand why did it happen. The answer again was related to water balance.
The better you hydrate your organism — the better it works.
Water is a must-have element to build your muscles. It lubricates the joints and regulates body temperature. Also, water gives you energy by transporting nutrients in the body. This way, it supplies the musculoskeletal system.
Water transports the nutrients needed for producing protein and glycogen structures, the building blocks of muscles in the body. It’s crucial to promote muscle gain.
Also, water in the body works as a lubricant. Providing you with freedom of movement and the ability to flex your muscles.
Takeaway: Water plays an important role in the functioning of your body.
Higher productivity
Your brain is only 2% of your body mass, but it consumes about 80% of the energy you have. So keeping yourself full of energy throughout the day is an easy way to keep your brain productive.
Water is one of three mandatory ingredients to make your brain work well. The other two are oxygen and glucose. Keep these parameters high, and your brain will work like a charm.
12 daily cups of water added to my daily routine provided my brain with the required amount of liquids.
After 2nd month of the challenge, I’ve noticed that my intellectual abilities and stamina improved. It became easier to work the whole day or solve complex tasks.
Takeaway: Water is fuel for your brain.
Final Thoughts
Drinking enough water daily is a crucial but underrated habit. It gives significant profits in long term. Big enough for me to promote this habit to all my friends, relatives, and readers.
Completing a one-year-long drinking challenge proved to me that I can. It gave me faith in myself. It’s a life-changing experience. I strongly recommend it to everyone.
If you must do something, then you can do it. It became my new motto.
Debes Ergo Potes in Latin.
Also, you can read about my other 365 days challenges here. For example, 365 days walking challenge.
P.S. If you liked this thing, follow me and clap a couple of times. Good luck!
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