In this post I’ll be talking about how much water you should drink per day to be hydrated and perform at your best. I will also discuss what drinks I use to re-hydrate myself during athletic competitions.
The #1 most common thing I see with my personal training clients is that they don’t drink enough water. Maybe 90% of people I meet don’t drink enough. For example, did you drink at least 2L of water today? (4 small water bottles)?
How to Know If You Are Hydrated
The easiest test is to look at the color of your pee. If it’s clear or close to clear then you are probably hydrated. If it is not clear then you should drink more water.
How Much Water Do You Need?
It’s different for everybody. The more water you lose through sweat and exercise the more you need to drink per day.
I weigh 215lbs at 6’2. If I have a BJJ training session that day I will drink 6-8L of water.
I think everybody should have at least 2L of water per day. That’s 4 small bottles of water. In a day. If you don’t even drink 2L of water per day I don’t know how you can feel good.
What Happens If You Never Drink Enough Water to be Hydrated
If you are a bit dehydrated all the time (most people) these are the symptoms:
– dry mouth
– sleepiness
– dry skin
– dizziness or light headedness
– constipation
– headache
– extreme thirst
– irritability and confusion
– no tears when crying
Water makes up two thirds of our body. Obviously you need to be drinking water regularly throughout the day to feel good. And it’s the easiest thing in the world. Just buy a big jug and put it in your car. Carry it with you and drink it all day.
I use a 1.5L jug and refill it all the time.
You will probably have to get a brita filter. It sucks buying water bottles and it gets expensive if you drink a lot like me. Brita filter is a must because you can get tons of clean water.
Main Points
Most people don’t drink enough water. Do you drink AT LEAST 2L per day?
If you play sports or sweat a lot you need more water than the average person
Look at your pee and see if it’s clear or almost clear. If not you may be dehydrated.
I hope this information helps you. I know a ton of people who don’t drink enough water throughout the day and then wonder why they feel low energy all the time. Don’t let this be you. Make sure you stay hydrated especially if you are an athlete.