If there was a substance that when consumed regularly can increase your workout performance by 15%-20%, would you take it?

Now wait, don't call the FDA or the DEA! I am not recommending that you take a drug or an illegal substance. This common substance is available almost anywhere, and even though some people pay 'big' money for it, it is available to most people for FREE.

You already know what it is because of the title of this chapter. And like a lot of very common and abundant things it is sometimes taken for granted. However, in the case of water this is especially true. Water is the essential substance, not only for life, but also for optimum performance.

Let's start with the basics. On average your body consists of 70% water. Different tissues in your body have varying amounts. Your blood is 90% water, your bones 20%, and your muscles 70%.

Not only is water essential as a major component of your body tissue, water performs other major functions. One of which is waste transport. Water collects the waste of cellular processes and transports those to the kidneys for excretion. This is of particular importance to you since exercise accelerates the creation of cellular wastes.

You may have experienced the common 'hangover' after consuming too much alcohol. Alcohol is a diuretic and can cause semi-dehydration very quickly. The headache, dry mouth, and general lack of energy 'the morning after' are partly due to the dehydrated state of your body.

Most people don't drink alcohol everyday, but they do consume other diuretics like tea, coffee, and soft drinks. On top of that you may not drink enough water to meet your minimum needs. This can result in a permanent state of semi-dehydration.

How much is enough? You have probably heard the clich of 8 glasses of water a day. Well that is a good place to start. But it is only a minimum. The National Research Council of the National Academies of Science recommends 1.0 - 1.5 ml per kcal of energy expended everyday. I do not doubt the scientific validity of this approach. However, you may not be willing to measure everything to this level of detail.

For the discussion below all measurements is U.S.

My 'personal-trainer-rule-of-thumb' is to drink a minimum of ounce of water for every pound of bodyweight. So if you weigh 140 pounds, the least amount of water you should drink is 70 ounces. 8 - 8oz glasses equates to 64 ounces.

For my very serious clients, who are extremely active, my recommendation is a minimum of one gallon of water daily.

Whoa! Drink one gallon of water everyday? You may not believe this is possible. I can assure it is not only possible, but once you are drinking water at that level, for as little as a few days, you will find your body craving more. What you once thought impossible will now seem like 'old hat'.

How can you reach the proper hydration levels when you aren't used to drinking that amount of water? The same way you eat an elephant. . .one small bite at a time. Start out by having water with you all the time. Keep a bottle with you constantly.

Measure out your daily consumption ahead of time. I do that by filling a predetermined number of water bottles each morning and having those with me. If I am drinking three 1.5 liter bottles of water a day then I pace myself and drink a bottle every three hours.

The easiest way to do this is to constantly sip your water. Small sips over the course of the day add up to your minimum water intake. Just like eating the elephant (one bite at a time).

Should you drink anything besides water? While I believe you should drink pure water, I know that from time to time you may want other beverages for variety. Personally, on occasion, I drink a variety of teas, including herbal, and coffee. Should you want a little variety you can add some of these drinks, in addition to, your water.

A few 'no-nos' that you should avoid include carbonated beverages (soft drinks, energy drinks, etc.), and drinks with a high sugar (of any kind) content. Carbon dioxide is a waste product we expel and, in my opinion, it doesn't make sense to put it back into your body in a drink.

Drinks with sugar, whether added or natural, raise the blood sugar levels faster than other foods. Over time this can lead to insulin resistance and a host of other problems, including excessive fat gain.

I can tell you with confidence that all of my personal training clients have 'balked' at the idea of drinking the amount of water I advocate. But those that do follow this advice 'swear' that they can't get by without their water. Craving water like that is healthy and produces long lasting results.

Copyright 2006 J Lance Curtis