Something so very simple, but something than can be so easily overlooked by many- Water. It was originally stated by one of “The Seven Wise Men,” Thales, that water was the origin of all matter. Although this sounds strange to us now, it may not be too far off from the truth, especially in bodybuilding.
Water, the essence of life. It covers approximately 70% of the earth, and ironically, approximately the same amount is found in one’s body…Hmmm…In terms of Bodybuilding, well Water is needed for all forms of metabolic processes, including protein synthesis.
Some Benefits of Water:
-Water helps clear toxins from the body. Water can help flush out toxins and metabolic wastes produced by the body. This is especially important in a high protein diet, as it helps removes excess nitrogen, Urea, and Ketones. If you’re eating huge quantities, then you need that extra water to help your kidneys do their job.
-Water helps metabolize fat. Back to the kidneys, without enough water, they cant function properly. When something like this happens, some of the load is transferred to the liver. Now, the liver can metabolize stored fat for energy. So if the liver is pulling some of the weight the kidney is supposed to be, then it wont be doing ITS job to the fullest potential.
-Water keeps you regular. If you arent taking in enough, your body steals it from organs such as the colon. This can result in constipation. On top of that, water helps your digest your meals more efficiently, which is especially helpful when consuming 4k+ calories a day.
-Water also helps in helping use supplements efficiently. Some supplements like Creatine rely on water. Not to mention, most supplements are water soluble. If you pound down those supplements, and dont drink shit for water, you’ll literally be pissing money away.
So are YOU getting enough? No, Coffee, Soda, etc dont count as water. As a matter of fact, fluids like that actually increase fluid loss through diuresis, an increase of urine production by your kidneys. So how much is enough? Well, this can loosely depend on your amount of muscle, and activity level. I personally drink approximately 2 gallons daily.
So, to sum up the gist of this thread- have you actually ever taken a moment to look at how much water you drink in a day. Are YOU drinking enough?
I recall equating bodybuilding to constructing a building. Very basically of course, i called the Protein the Bricks, and the Carbs the workers. Continuing with this example, id have to say that Water is the cement. Without enough, you cant build a large, stable, strong, solid structure.
Drink up, folks.
