Why do most supermodels carry a water bottle? Do they know something that we don’t? Is this how they stay so skinny? Do they do it to be chic or do they really believe in the value of drinking it? I don’t know about that, but I do know this: There is no single nutrient more important than water.
You can operate without your protein powder. You may find enough energy to get through your next workout without a sports drink. You can even sustain intense workouts for days on end without eating properly. But you can’t stay alive without water.
If there is one mistake that many, many beginning bodybuilders make, it would be their lack of adequate water intake. It’s just water, right? Mistaken! In fact, I’d be willing to bet that most active fitness enthusiasts are walking around dehydrated right now to some degree. The reason for this is that most have a lack of respect for the importance of water and a lack of understanding of how much it can actually affect your body’s ability to build muscle and burn fat.
You’ve probably heard by now that approximately 60-75% of your total body weight is water. But did you know the following? Water helps maintain body temperature. Water allows more than 50% of all chemical reactions that take place in the body. It is also responsible for the movement of nutrients, digestion, absorption processes, circulation, and excretion of waste. The water plays a part in the transmission of light and sound in the eyes and ears. Water will also help curb your appetite. If you are a bodybuilder, you should know that muscle is made up of approximately 70% water.
Consider this: at 2% dehydration, the body’s work capacity decreases by 12-15%. Also, body temperature and heart rate increase during periods of dehydration. Dehydration can compromise muscle contractions, decrease strength levels, cause joint pain, and much more. Dehydration will definitely stunt your body’s ability to build muscle. Water is truly the most important nutrient on earth!
Did you also know that recent studies have shown that drinking cold water can actually boost metabolism? The science isn’t as extensive as I’d like, but it seems that cold water enters the small intestine at a faster rate, which can affect digestion and therefore metabolism as well.
The next question is how much? The average daily fluid loss from the body through excretion, respiration, chemical reactions, and perspiration ranges from approximately 1 to 3 quarts. A high protein intake requires an even higher amount of fluids.
I would start my recommendations with a minimum of at least 8-8 oz. glasses a day. In my opinion, that would be unsuitable for fitness enthusiasts and especially active bodybuilders. Note that we also need to consider a person’s metabolic rate in relation to water loss. In other words, some of us sweat a lot more than others.
Someone very active and building muscle or looking to lose weight should consume a gallon of water a day. Sounds like a lot, but the benefits far outweigh trips to the bathroom. Remember, however, that it is a whole day. Drinking too much water at one time can be dangerous, especially during exercise. Be careful not to drink too much in one sitting.
However, water should be your drink of choice during workouts. Sports drinks contain simple sugar that slows the rate of absorption of desperately needed fluids and should not be used until after exercise. Also, sodium should never be ingested during exercise. The temporary hypertonic concentration of sodium in the blood will lead to an osmotic shift of fluids away from the working muscles. This causes severe cramps and increased susceptibility to heat injuries such as heat stroke and heat exhaustion.
A good way to keep your water levels balanced is to weigh yourself before and after your workout and then have a 16 oz. of water per pound of weight lost, at the rate prescribed above (8 to 10 ounces every 20 minutes).
Water is life and nothing is more important if your goal is to stay healthy and strong. So baby!