A Restrictive Beginning
Last October, I had Transsphenoidal Surgery. As I left the hospital I was handed a set of instructions (no weight lifting, head up, etc.) – seemingly standard except for one strange request "Patient must limit liquids to 1000mL per day for 7 days after discharge". Imagine my shock when I found out I had to cut my water intake by more than 50%! If you know me, you know I practically live with a water bottle in hand.
Dead panic. Heart Racing. Sweat (which I quickly stopped using mind control in order to spare my precious fluids – have you ever seen Dune?). I was convinced I was going to pass out or at least be using lip balm constantly.
The Body's Adaptation
To my surprise, it was pretty easy. After about a day my body began to recalibrate to this new norm, reducing my urine volume to match the reduced intake. When I treated myself to a little extra water (I was never good at following such precise rules), my body compensated by flushing out the surplus – trust me, I measured every drop in and out. So despite my initial panic, thirst was manageable. Which brought me to lesson #1: our bodies can manage their water balance just fine, thanks.
This was a revelation. I thought about how it felt like the more water I drank the more desperate I became for water (ever looked in your car’s back seat and just had piles of empty Aquafinas? Well I have). And honestly keeping up with the 8+ glass a day regimen was pretty miserable – I always felt like I was constantly fighting a losing battle with hydration. With my new knowledge, I felt a wild liberation. No more stopping every 45 minutes on a road trip! I wanted to laugh at the “75 Hard” folks who were guzzling down 16 glasses a day! I always knew there was a reason I was avoiding that program…that must be it…
The Water-Performance Link
Of course, it's not that simple. With my new H2O conservation lifestyle, I noticed my Peloton workouts became more grueling. Usually easy rides I had done many times before began to feel like scaling Mt. Everest.
As it turns out, science backs this up. According to a
study from Virginia Polytechnic Institute dehydration can cause your core temperature to rise faster and decrease sweat production - not ideal for smashing your Peloton records. Lesson #2: Hydrate like a champ before a workout!
The Thirst-Hunger Conundrum
Now that I had become hyperaware of my water intake, I noticed something else. Sometimes when I felt hungry, a glass of water would alleviate the hunger. I noticed that our bodies sometimes confuse the need for hydration with the need for food. After all, a significant portion of our hydration comes from our diet. Did you know that cucumbers are 96% water? Chicken breast is 78% water. Rice is 68% water. You get the point. We’re eating our water all the time, so it’s no wonder our bodies confuse thirst and hunger. Lesson #3 – try sipping some water next time you are hungry.
Electrolytes: The Unsung Hydration Heroes
With my renewed respect for hydration, I tried another experiment. Hot yoga with and without electrolytes in my water. The results? Electrolyte-infused water days = feeling normal post-exercise. Non-electrolyte days = wildly hungry. So perhaps hydration isn't just about water, but about the minerals it carries. Lesson #4 – if you’re hydrating, try adding electrolytes.
Final Thoughts
So, where does all this leave us? The "8 glasses a day" rule needs to be tossed like your old USB-A cables. My revised rule – hydrate before a workout, and if you typically feel hungry after a workout, try adding electrolytes. Don’t fret about counting glasses, and when in doubt, an extra sip won’t hurt. Finally, let's remember that our bodies are surprisingly good at managing hydration levels.
So, there you have it folks, my hard-earned wisdom on water. Time to take a sip and make your own hydration revelations. Have any hydration epiphanies you'd like to share? Let's spill in the comments!