Dedication 6/12

Drinking Water

Jun 15, 2017
2 minute read

Water matters, folks.

I’m not going to go into the specific mechanics that make water so valuable to a human being. But I’d like to share ten things I’ve observed by drinking water almost exclusively. These anecdotes are my own, but I encourage experimentation to see if you too can find the same benefits.

  1. There’s a correlation between food intake and water, in that the more water I drink, the less food I have to eat to feel full. And less food means fewer calories. (I’m not concerned about under eating here - if I need to eat, my body signals me to eat through hunger pain - no amount of water quells hunger.)

  2. There’s only so much liquid I can drink, so the “opportunity cost” is all the soda/coffee I’m not drinking instead. Caloric savings are massive!

  3. I feel better on days I drink a lot of water, and not so great when I don’t. By “feel better,” I mean physically. Just feel better. Fewer headaches. Can think clearer.

  4. Drinking water near (slightly cooler than) room temperature makes it easier to drink. Too cold is uncomfortable. Temperature matters.

  5. Correlation between food intake and water, part two: Because I naturally eat less when I drink a lot of water, then drinking water before eating anything is the best timing. Putting it to work! Beyond the benefit of eating less, I think digestion goes better too (although I have less direct confidence in this).

  6. I knock out 32 oz. of water on the commute to work by filling up my “home” water bottle before I start my drive. Sip. Sip. Honk my horn. Sip. Dodge a car. Sip. And… I’m parking with a now-empty water bottle.

  7. Drinking water with friends is fun. Sounds crazy? Maybe it is crazy. But I like to socialize it. Make it a competition, like who can drink the most water in an hour, or a typical work day. The result is me drinking more water, so that alone makes it worth it. But others drinking water, too? Priceless.

  8. I have two water bottles, one for the office, one for the home. I always try to keep the “active” one full. (Sidebar: I used to keep a gallon of water nearby on my office desk to refill my water bottle, but I’ve changed this because having to go to the kitchen or break room every time I want to top up keeps me moving…)

  9. Days I drink more water than usual, I feel my body “working.” It’s hard to explain this beyond just sensing it. Or maybe it’s just all the times I have to go pee! I can imagine my metabolic rate increasing because of my body needs to handle all the water I’m giving it.

  10. Having to go pee often keeps me moving. Have I mentioned movement is good? Movement is the enemy of stagnation. The enemy of my enemy is my friend. Besides, I don’t want to be stag in any way, shape. or form. 😉