Water and Hydration: Why It’s Critical — and Why You Might Need to Take It to the Next Level

Staying hydrated is one of the simplest and most powerful habits you can build for better health, energy, fat loss, and fitness results.

Water is not only essential for life but is crucial if your goals include losing body fat, building lean muscle, improving performance, and staying healthy long-term. Every major system in your body relies on proper hydration to function at its best.

In fact, 60–70% of your body is made up of water. Research shows that the more hydrated you are, the more efficiently your body performs critical tasks — from mental focus to metabolism to fat-burning.

Benefits of Proper Hydration

Science suggests that water can help with weight loss and overall health in several ways:

• Suppresses appetite naturally

• Boosts metabolism by helping your body burn more calories

• Makes exercise easier and more efficient

• Supports cognitive function, digestion, and recovery

While many factors influence weight and health, if your goal is long-term fat loss and maintenance, staying hydrated must be a daily priority.

What Counts as Water?

Fortunately, hydration doesn’t have to come from plain water alone.
You can count:

• Water

• Seltzer water (unsweetened)

• Black coffee (in moderation)

• Herbal teas (unsweetened)

• High-water-content foods like fruits and vegetables

• Protein shakes and smoothies

However, it’s best to limit drinks with lots of added sugar, artificial ingredients, or chemicals, which can work against your hydration and health goals.

How Much Water Should You Drink?

A general rule of thumb:
Drink half your body weight in ounces each day.

Example:
If you weigh 160 pounds, aim for around 80 ounces of water daily.

But don’t stress if that seems like a lot at first!
Focus on gradually drinking a little more water every day and building it into your habits.

Tips to Drink More Water:

• Keep a water bottle by your bed to drink first thing in the morning.

• Drink a glass of water before and after each meal to aid digestion and appetite control.

• Add lemon, cucumber, or berries for flavor.

• Invest in a great-looking water bottle (“bling it up!”) to take everywhere you go.

When Should You Drink Most of Your Water?

You’ve probably heard it’s important to stay hydrated — but when you drink your water can be just as important as how much you drink.

A great strategy is to aim to drink 70–80% of your total daily water intake by 2–3 p.m. Here’s why this matters:

Benefits of Drinking More Water Earlier in the Day:

• Reduces late-night bathroom trips
  ➤ Helps improve sleep by limiting water intake in the evening

• Boosts energy and focus in the morning
  ➤ Your body is naturally dehydrated after sleep — rehydrating early helps turn on your brain, metabolism, and digestion

• Supports appetite and craving control
  ➤ Water before meals helps you feel fuller and reduces overeating

• Improves workout performance and recovery
  ➤ Starting your afternoon workouts already hydrated gives you more endurance and helps prevent fatigue

• Works with your body’s natural rhythm
  ➤ Your kidneys and digestive system are more active in the first half of the day, so front-loading water supports better function

 Sample Breakdown for 80 oz/day:

• 8 a.m. – 12 p.m.: 40–50 oz (50–60%)

• 12 p.m. – 3 p.m.: 20 oz (20–25%)

• After 3 p.m.: 10–20 oz (just sipping to thirst)

Why Only Drinking Plain Water May Not Be Enough

Here’s the next level that many people miss:

If you’re fasting, exercising, sweating, or following a tighter eating window, only drinking plain water may actually dilute important minerals in your body.

When you flush out water, you also flush out electrolytes like:

• Sodium

• Potassium

• Magnesium

Without replenishing these minerals, you can experience:

• Fatigue and low energy

• Headaches and brain fog

• Cravings and hunger spikes

• Muscle cramps

• Slower fat loss and recovery

The Missing Link: Electrolytes

Electrolytes are essential minerals that:

• Support nerve and muscle function

• Balance blood pressure

• Aid digestion

• Regulate energy production

• Stabilize blood sugar

Without enough electrolytes, your body struggles — even if you’re drinking lots of water.

This is especially important if you are:

• Fasting 24 hours or more

• Doing extended fasts (36 hours or more)

• Eating within a 6–8 hour window

• Exercising intensely or sweating a lot

How Often Should You Add Electrolytes?

1–2 times daily is ideal:

• Once first thing in the morning

• Once midafternoon if needed

• Additional serving around workouts or extended fasting days

Easy Electrolyte Drinks You Can Make

Here are some simple and powerful electrolyte drink ideas to upgrade your hydration:

1. Try LMNT 

CLICK HERE – I personally recommend LMNT as a clean, high-quality electrolyte option for faster hydration and better results. I have been using this for 3+ years and have so many clients who love adding this to their day.