We all drink water on a daily basis, but many of us may not even realize how extremely important water is in supporting our bodybuilding goals. In fact, water is vital to maintaining an optimal health. Of course, in order to stay healthy, we need to drink water. But if you want to support your bodybuilding goals, you need to drink even more water. Water will benefit us in endless ways. It can help curb what we believe to be hunger (while in reality, we’re just thirsty), lubricate our joints, or maintain healthy blood pressure – all of that is extremely important for bodybuilding.
The problem is that it may not be very easy to increase the water intake. Yeah, “Just drink more water”. We may have heard about it, but it doesn’t always work like that.
Not only that, but some people intentionally lower their water intake which is a huge mistake. Most people tend to do so while cutting. That’s because people feel or look a little “bloated”. So, assuming that lowering water intake will reduce the bloat. That’s a big mistake because, whether we do it intentionally or we simply forget to drink more water, increasing the water you drink can actually seriously benefit your cutting cycle. Not to mention that it is very helpful for any other cycle type.
But, how can you drink more water? And how much water should you drink per day? While the amount of water you need to drink a day depends on your body type, gender, age, height, weight, and how much you sweat, you are still likely to need to increase your water intake. You can find how much water you need per day by using online calculators. Yet, below I’m going to share helpful methods to increase water intake.
How Much Water To Drink A Day?
How much water you should drink per day, as said, depends on various factors. For example, it’s obvious that a 200 lbs man should drink way more water than a 100 lbs man needs. However, for most people, you need to aim for a minimum of 8 to 12 cups a day. This number may increase if you’re really active.
However, this is just the minimum amount you should drink per day. People who are exercising regularly and are sweating regularly pretty much would usually need to drink even more water.
In the end, while some people find it comfortable getting down one gallon of water per day, others struggle to drink half of it. There are a lot of factors determining the water intake. But one thing is for sure: you need water, and you need a lot of it.
Our bodies are about 70% of water! Do not avoid drinking water intentionally (unless about 2 hours before going to bed, so you won’t need to wake up in the middle of the night to pee, which can disrupt your sleep quality). Also, try to up your water game, regardless if we’re talking about not having enough water intake due to preference, inconvenience, or laziness. Doing so will get you closer to your bodybuilding goals! 
Be sure that drinking enough water daily is crucial for hitting your fitness goals! It is extremely important regardless if we talk about cutting down, bulking up, or simply maintaining general health!
Tips To Increase Water Intake
Below I’m going to share various tips that can help you increase your water intake, getting you closer to your goals.
Drink before you feel thirsty
A lot of us do not drink enough water, and when we do start to drink, it is mostly only because we realize that we are thirsty. The problem is that by the time you feel that you are thirsty, your body is already dehydrated. In fact, because your body is dehydrated, it makes you feel that you are thirsty.
You may have noticed that when you go to pee first thing in the morning, the urine is usually significantly darker in color. Or it can occur even during the day if you haven’t drank almost any water during the day. That is a sign of dehydration. Of course, there are a lot of other signs of dehydration.
In the end, what I’m trying to say is that you should avoid feeling thirsty. And that’s by guzzling down more water throughout the day, even if you do not feel thirsty. Drink water, even if you do not feel like you should.
Set daily water goals
Regardless if you just want to stay healthy or you’re following some fitness related goals such as weight loss or muscle gain, drink more water. But when you want to achieve a goal, you are planning ahead and have a goal in your mind. The same with drinking more water – set a goal! It can greatly help you keep you on track!
The simple act of setting a goal is going to make you feel accountable for drinking water! Holding yourself accountable for something is definitely helpful when it comes to achieving a goal, whatever it may be.
So, what you should do is set a water consumption goal per day. I would recommend starting off with small amounts if you are not a water drinker at all, and you know your water intake is very (too) low per day. For example, start with at least 34 ounces (1,000 ml) of water a day, and work your way up. You may even increase this number even more if you can, during hotter seasons, because it is easier. Especially because ice cold water can greatly help!
Drink little and often
Similar to food, some people drink water in huge glugs. Others take small steps. Well, you could try siping water consistently throughout the day, of course, in small amounts. Have the water goal of 34 ounces? Great! Split it into 12-14 hour intervals and drink hourly!
This is going to help you hit your water goals and avoid getting dehydrated! You can always have a reusable bottle nearby. Regardless if you’re at home, work, or the gym! You need to have a reminder that you need to drink more water throughout the day.
Keep a drinking schedule
You may up your water intake throughout the day by setting a water related schedule. Doing so, will remind you of the necessity to drink water, keep you moving towards your goals, and most importantly – keep you hydrated.
We’re living in a century where most of us are working at desks for 8+ hours a day. Therefore, hopping up to refill your water bottle will come with multiple benefits. Regardless of what you work for, you should increase your water intake, especially if you work in a physically involved job, and you also work out. Even if you’re a desk worker, you could try to drink water by the hour. This will add an average of 8 cups (250 ml or 8.5 oz per cup) a day.
As said, use the refillable bottle. And if you have a bigger one – that’s even better. Just ensure you fill it up as you get to work, top it whenever you need it, and keep enough water for your drive home.
Eat foods that are high in water
There are a lot of ways to get more water into your body. Food is one of them too. Lots of foods have a high content of water. And as you can guess, we’re talking about fruit and vegetables. That’s why, if you increase your fruit and vegetable intake, you both increase the valuable micronutrients (such as vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants) as well as your water intake.
For example, watermelon contains 91% water. Lettuce 96%. Celery 95%. Cabbage contains 92% of water, cucumber 96% of water, and so on. I guess you got the point.
Make a habit of drinking more water
Increasing your water intake should become a habit. Regardless if you’re physically active or not. But it’s obvious that in order to support your bodybuilding goals, you should be. But increase water intake in all other situations, simply to remain healthy.
Of course, getting into the habit of drinking more water can be pretty hard. But you need to work towards it by setting reminders for yourself and following all other methods that increase water intake. Remember to drink throughout the day with whatever method works for you.
For example, you could use an app (yes, there are such apps), a smartwatch, or simply set an alarm on your phone. Anything that works, encouraging you to drink more water is good. Even if it seems like a stupid idea, often, if it works, it’s not a stupid idea anymore.
Have a reusable bottle
Many people do not drink enough water due to inconvenience. What am I trying to say? Some people could avoid drinking water because they have no water nearby. You need to go to the market and spend money. It is inconvenient. So people tend to avoid drinking water. It is easier to drink more water when it is easy to do so. The easier it is, the more inclined we are to drink. And yes, out of laziness, people tend to avoid drinking water… simply because the water is in the next room.
While I strongly recommend getting into the habit of avoiding such levels of laziness, grab yourself a reusable bottle that you could easily carry around with you, wherever you go. Regardless if you’re running errands, working, traveling, at home, or hitting the gym – you need to have a bottle of water with you at all times. This way, you are more likely to top up the water intake.
As a great bonus – you are getting more environmentally friendly than using single plastics when you fill up your own bottle at home. Moreover, it can be a money-saving option because the water we have at home is usually less expensive than the one you get from single-use plastics. So, that’s a triple win!
Add (a bit) of flavor to your water
Some people are not drinkers simply because… water is boring. I mean, it is a tasteless liquid. Drinking it is not… tasty. While it doesn’t have to be tasty, you can make it. This way, it won’t be so boring anymore. All you can do is just add a slice of lemon or lime to your water bottle. This will add a bit of flavor. Do not overdo it as you only need to add a little flavor. This way, you’ll stay interested in drinking more water, but you will also get the benefits of those fruits. By the way, you can always experiment by adding new fruits and checking which ones are best to your taste.
Replace soda and caffeine with water
While you can drink caffeine and tea that is sugarless (make a habit of avoiding adding sugar to your tea or coffee), avoid soda, even sports drinks. While they can be tempting, water will benefit you more. That’s because a lot of people who drink sports drinks, caffeinated drinks, and/or smoothies, may not realize that they are full of “hidden” sugars.
By reducing your sugar intake, you will experience a myriad of positive benefits! It can reduce your cravings for junk food, reduce insulin, increase fat loss, and overall help you smash your fitness goals! Moreover, you are likely to feel more focused, and more alert, and, by drinking more water, you will stay hydrated too.
These seemingly small changes can make a huge impact on how much water you drink a day, leading to a huge impact on your bodybuilding goals.
Order water if you’re dining out
Always order water if you dine out! It should be the first thing you do. There are a lot of benefits if you do. As said, some people will eat more thinking they are hungry, but they are actually thirsty. So, if you drink water before dining out, it will save you money (as you order less food), reduce calories (getting closer to your goals), and help you stay hydrated, adding to your daily water intake. Again, this supports your bodybuilding goals and helps you stay healthier.
Try to drink before ordering food, and drink more again after eating. Do not order again until you do so for the reasons I’ve earlier mentioned.
Drink water before a meal
As said, try to drink before ordering food, and even before actually starting to eat. That’s because you may think you’re hungry, but you’re actually thirsty. Drinking a glass of water before you eat will both help increase your daily water intake and will also help you determine how hungry you actually are. This will also greatly help if you’re in a cutting cycle, as it helps eat fewer calories.
Water during a cutting cycle
As said, some people avoid drinking water to avoid water retention. The paradox here is that water actually helps with water retention. Indeed, water can make your body look a bit “bloated”, but this effect quickly disappears if you reduce water intake. That’s why professionals only reduce their water intake 24 hours or so before a competition or show. However, they do not reduce the water intake during the entire cutting cycle, because that would be a big mistake.
In fact, seriously increasing your water intake will help you succeed during a cut. Extra hydration will help you provide extra energy during strenuous workouts. That is very important during a cut as you may feel low in energy. It helps you push a bit harder and ultimately burn even more calories.
Moreover, more water will not add to your already restricted calorie limit, unlike soda or energy drinks that you may think are “sports drinks” and should be helpful to your goals, but they work the other way around.
Conclusion
So, you may have learned that drinking more water has a lot of benefits (it actually does) and by following the recommendations up there, you will be able to increase the water intake, leading to those numerous benefits. In short, drinking more water is going to benefit both your mind and body in a lot of ways. It helps support your bodybuilding goals, regardless if we’re talking about bulking or cutting cycles.
For example, water can help lower the calories during a cutting cycle, but it also helps your muscles grow during a bulking cycle as it carries the nutrients to your muscles that they need to grow.
- Moreover, water can help lower water retention, and blood pressure and clean the liver, helping your cholesterol values too. These are very important effects if you plan to use anabolic steroids that may negatively affect them as long as you’re aiming to grow muscle with their help.
Anabolic steroids are extremely helpful for bodybuilding, but as you may know, they come with side effects. Yet, by drinking enough water and following our recommendations here, you’re sure to avoid them. Just buy quality anabolic steroids for sale from Supps-For-Life.to and make sure you use them right (we can help with both) and you’re sure to be on the right path to your goals.
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