A few months ago my good friend (who is an esthetician and natural foods enthusiast) excitedly asked me if I saw the posts about the 30-day water challenge and the difference it made in the skin of those who participated. I have always struggled with getting enough water on a daily basis because, let's face it, water can get boring. And who wants to track how much they drink? Ugh, no thank you!
However, sometimes I am more focused on my water intake, especially in the winter when my skin turns to a dry, flaky, scaly mess (hey, thanks central heating and super cold weather). I never really paid much attention to how the water affected me, except the inevitable 500 trips to the bathroom a day, which got old really quickly. Seriously, who has time for that?
For the purposes of this blog, I did a little research into the benefits of drinking water and finally REALLY looked at the results of that 30-day water challenge that women across the country did. Lo and behold, there are some seriously strong benefits to drinking a bunch of water. For one second, put aside the fact that it helps replenish your body and that you need it to exist, because that's boring. Let me appeal to your vanity for these purposes. What's the real deal with water consumption?
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| Well, that's one way to hydrate your skin... |
Okay, full disclosure - drinking water will not turn back the hands of time. Some will tell you that drinking excess water will get rid of wrinkles and take 10 years off your life. It won't. If you have wrinkles, you're going to need to do other things to fix them. However, drinking water promotes healthy skin and will help with blemishes and acne, as it helps flush out toxins from the system. Looking back, I have seen a marked improvement in the amount of blemishes on my face since I started incorporating more water into my daily routine. That alone should be enough reason for most people to increase their water intake.
Contrary to popular belief, excessive water consumption won't fix the dry skin on your arms or legs if you tend towards dry skin. Apologies to my fellow scaly, reptilian sisters, but you will have to moisturize in order to fix that. What water WILL do is help hydrate your cells.
Why the hell should you care? Dehydrated cells are more easily damaged and can contribute significantly to wrinkles and saggy skin. So while upping your water consumption won't really fix any current damage, it will damn sure help prevent further damage, especially where it counts.
Weight Loss
Again, unfortunately, I have to tell you that water isn't going to make you magically drop 10 lbs. Not even if it comes direct from Narnia via Unicorn Express (okay, maybe then it's a little magical). Water will help flush out toxins from your body and might technically help move the scale down a few numbers by alleviating water retention caused by dehydration. However, drinking excessive amounts of water won't actually just burn the fat right off your body, like we all hope it will. If that was the case, it would be WAAAY more expensive and controlled by the FDA, trust me. Water can actually give your metabolism a boost, but it is extremely small and you need to drink it consistently.
Fear not, though! Hope is still on the horizon when it comes to maintaining a healthy weight. Increased water consumption can help control your appetite by ensuring that you're not thirsty. Thirst is very often mistaken for hunger and can contribute to overeating. It also helps control calories by replacing normal sugary drinks, because who wants to drink a 20oz soda when they've been drinking water all day and can't hold any more liquid? My personal theory is that water actually helps you lose weight because you burn calories walking to the damn bathroom 20 more times a day.
Tips for Increasing Your Water Intake
The benefits of incorporating more water into your daily routine are many. The problem most people have is figuring out how to actually get the 48 - 64 ounces of water into their day without losing their mind. Here's a few things you can do:
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| Or, you know, you could just drink it directly from the hose |
- You fancy, huh? You're going to be less likely to hate drinking your recommended water every day if you feel like a total diva doing it. Some people are very picky about their water vessels. If it helps you to drink your H20 out of a huge-ass wine goblet, girl, you do you!
- Embrace your competitive nature. If you feel like you're in competition with yourself or someone else, you're more likely to actually do it. If it feels like a chore, you may procrastinate. Turn it into a game or a challenge with a friend!
- Get organized! Use your smartphone or calendar and set reminders to drink your water. I know this seems ridiculous, but out of sight, out of mind is a real thing. Make sure it's always in your face and you won't forget to drink yourself healthy.
- The 7 habits of highly hydrated people. It takes approximately 21 days for someone to form a habit. Drink water at specific times of the day for 21 days until it becomes natural for you. Trust me, this is one habit that nobody will give you crap about.
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| Put these in your water, yo! |
- Trick yourself. Some people just don't like the taste of regular water, so trick yourself into making it taste like something else. You can infuse your water with all sorts of fresh fruits and can also purchase zero calorie water enhancers in a variety of flavors.
XOXO, Katz
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