For the first time ever I actually practised what I preached.

Okay, perhaps not for the first time… I mean, I generally practise what I preach. But when it comes to drinking water I rarely do it. I know, I know, what a hypocrite. I always tell you to drink enough water and stay hydrated but I rarely do the same. It’s hard sometimes, you forget. However, times have changed. I’m more serious with my life now and I’m actually trying to be a positive and healthy role model to you guys.

I recently started consciously and consistently drinking 2 litres of water a day and wow, the results were incredible. Water truly is life.

1.Clear Skin

Water helps flush out toxins in the body including toxins found in and around the skin. Fewer toxins equal fresher looking skin because fewer toxins equal fewer pimples which equal… clear skin. It’s just simple science.

2.Moisturised skin

We all know that the body is more than 60% water.  That water is used in many processes but most importantly, it stops our skin from looking scaly, ashy and pale. Moisturised skin is a sign of hydration because all your cells are full of the refreshing water you’ve been drinking. And moisturised skin means independence from an unnecessarily huge arsenal of beauty products. That means you get to save money.

3.Delightful Digestion

Ever had those painfully hard poops? The ones that had you squeezing with pain, sweat dripping down your temples as you pushed to no avail. Yip, it was probably because you were dehydrated. Water helps keep your stool moist and soft allowing you to enjoy the smoothest poops life has to offer. Moreover, water generally just makes things run smoother in the belly department which reduces bloating.

4.You Only Eat When You’re Hungry

The next time you feel hungry, drink a glass or two of water and see if you’re still hungry. A lot of the time, when we think we’re hungry our body is actually trying to tell us that we’re thirsty but we confuse the two. Consistently staying hydrated throughout the day makes sure that when you’re feeling a little peckish your stomach is actually empty instead of dying of thirst. That, in turn, prevents you from overeating and potentially gaining excess weight.

5.increased Energy

Fatigue is the first sign of dehydration. As previously stated, the majority of our body is made up of water, so when you’re not drinking enough water, your body cannot work at its best and that sometimes reveals itself as drowsiness. Staying hydrated makes sure your body is working at its optimum resulting in you feeling fresh and full of life.

Awesome stuff, Zoa, but how much water is enough water to drink per day?

That depends entirely on your gender, age, height, size, and activity level but anywhere between 2-3 litres a day is a good bet. Here’s a website that actually calculates how much water you should be drinking each day based on all these factors.

So then… How do you know you’re drinking enough water?

Urine is the best indicator of how your body is doing, water content wise.

1. You pee. A lot.
2. Your pee is consistently pale yellow or clear in colour

With knowing why, how much, and when you know you’re hydrated, the only thing left to do is to actually become hydrated. So drink up, folks.