Just like your plants, you need water to survive. Your plants need water to grow bigger and stay alive; you need water just to maintain your body. But we’re a lot bigger than plants, so we need water more than once a week.
Just how much water do you need? Most people know the general “8 cups of water a day”. However, that may not be accurate for everyone. Some people need more than that, especially athletes. Others don’t need as much. Just listen to your body and drink as much as you feel like you need. I recommend that you carry a water bottle around with you. Whenever you feel thirsty, reach for your water first.
If you exercise for more than 3 hours at a time you might need a little more than water. Many experts recommend chocolate milk! It’s packed with protein and calcium, plus it has carbs and sodium for boosting your electrolytes. It really packs a punch for your post-workout beverage! getting them through your food.
However, it is possible to get too much of a good thing. Drinking too much water is definitely possible. It’s very rare though, so don’t worry too much about it. A woman died of it in the 2002 Boston Marathon. That goes to show that it does happen, but not too often. So be careful!!!
There is no generic formula for how much water you’re supposed to drink each day. Just listen to your body and drink water accordingly. If you have a long workout, enjoy sports drinks or chocolate milk to recover. Just make sure that you’re drinking enough fluids, especially during your workout (that’s why most treadmills have 2 water bottle holders).
