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Not seeing the gains you desire from your workouts? We know how frustrating it can be when you feel like you’re putting in all the hard work and not getting the results you think you should be. However, gaining muscle and toning up is an art within itself, that often requires meticulous attention to detail to reach the outcome you’re working towards.

Whilst we all know about the importance of eating clean, consuming sufficient protein and ensuring adequate recovery periods so our muscles can rebuild and grow – what many of us don’t take into account is the effect that insufficient hydration has on our workouts.

Read on for the benefits you can expect by making sure you get your 2L a day!

Sustained Energy

Often struggle to make it through a workout? Even mild cases of dehydration cause a drop in energy levels that are enough to cut your workout short. Water is the driving force of energy production on a cellular level, so with adequate amounts you can expect to feel light, energized and fueled up to make it through your workout without flailing!

More: Eat These Five Foods To Boost Energy

Muscle Building 

Whilst drinking water alone won’t make you gain muscle mass, it will definitely help you achieve the results you do work towards in the gym. Water carries oxygen to the cells of your body, including those of your muscles, enabling them to work harder and longer before fatiguing, helping you to build more muscle than you would otherwise! Additionally, water lubricates your joints, helping them to stay strong and flexible so that your movements are smooth and pain free. Invaluable advice especially if weight lifting is your forte.

More: The Amazing Benefits Of Strength Training

Increased Focus

Do you sometimes struggle to enjoy your yoga class? Or simply avoid it all together? It could be down to your cognitive performance and focus. Whilst here at Hip & Healthy we believe all your workouts require focus and attention (studies have been shown that by doing so you can achieve greater results from your sweat sessions), practises such as yoga are a particularly hard one to master if you’re prone to an extra short attention span. The solution? Yep, you guessed it! Water helps with increasing cognitive function by supplying the brain with the oxygen it needs to work at its best. Drinking 2 L of water a day has been shown to improve congnitive performance by as much as 30% meaning that you’ll be able to master those yoga poses with ease!

Shop: Yoga Wear

Increased Metabolism

Whilst not directly related to exercise performance, a study published in the Journal Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism found that drinking approx 17oz water can increase metabolic rate by 30 percent, with the effect taking place within 10 minutes of drinking, reaching its maximum 30-40 mins after consumption! And you know what increased metabolism means? Easier fat burning and faster results gained from your workout! Sip away!

More: Boost Your Metabolism With These 5 At Home Exercises

Improved Digestion

To gain muscle and lose fat, adequate digestion of macronutrients (proteins, carbs and fats) is absolutely essential. Ensuring you get your daily water quota means you body has an easier time extracting the nutrients it needs as well as receiving required amounts of oxygen, glucose (energy) and fats into the cells. A dehydrated body does not a happy tummy make! This is because water is crucial in producing saliva and gastric juices to efficiently break down the food we’re eating. Additionally water is super important for our bodies elimination processes and crucial for removing performance inhibiting waste byproducts such as carbon dioxide and lactic acid from working muscles.

More: Beat The Bloat

Words by Zsa Zsa Vella


Our Number One Skincare Secret | How To: Pimp Your Water!


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