It should be no shock to you that consuming enough water daily is important. As athletes, the last thing we want to do is get dehydrated. Unfortunately, we don’t always drink enough water throughout the day to support our activity level and training needs. And as silly as it may seem, we need to learn how to drink more water (and less sugary drinks).
I want you to stop for a second and ask yourself how much water you drink each day. Do you know? Do you sip water every 30 minutes? Every hour? Or longer? Do you drink a glass of water with your meals? Are you drinking filtered water, sparkling water, bottled water, or tap water?
We need to get in the habit of drinking water throughout the entire day, no matter what we are doing. Drinking enough water every day not only supports overall health, but it also supports your intense training sessions.
You need to learn how to drink more water to stay healthy and perform better. Your body loses water through sweat, breathing, and bathroom breaks every single day. Unfortunately, the recommendation to “drink eight glasses of water per day” is just a blanket statement, and as an endurance athlete, your needs are much higher.
In this article, we are going to dive deeper into why water is essential, how to drink more water, and a handful of tips to drink more water throughout the day without constantly needing to think about your overall daily fluid intake.
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and is not meant to treat or diagnose any condition. It is recommended that you speak with your doctor before starting any exercise program, making changes to your nutrition plan, or adding any new supplements into your current regimen.
Why Hydration Is Crucial for Athletic Performance and Everyday Health
It should come as no surprise that your body needs water for peak athletic performance. The human body contains 50-70% water, making proper hydration vital for every cell to work well. During exercise, your muscles demand more oxygen through your blood, which requires enough fluid to flow smoothly.
Even mild dehydration can slow down oxygen delivery to your muscles and can drastically hurt your performance and recovery.
Staying hydrated helps your body in many key ways, and knowing simple strategies of how to drink more water throughout the day is crucial.
Water supports good digestion, keeps your joints moving freely, and helps flush out waste products. Your daily water needs are higher as an athlete — men should drink at least 15.5 cups (124 ounces), and women need around 11.5 cups (92 ounces) of fluid each day (as a rough estimate — your needs may vary).
These amounts increase during hard training, hot weather, or high altitudes.
To combat this, EndurElite Hydrate Elite can be supplemented. This advanced hydration product helps support proper hydration, endurance, and heat regulation.
Regular sips of water throughout the day keep your energy levels stable and your muscles working at their best. Dark urine, headaches, poor focus, and feeling tired are clear signs that you need to drink more water.
5 Easy Ways to Stay Hydrated Throughout the Day
Water is vital when it comes to your ability to train and race hard. Below, we have five key ways to help you stay hydrated throughout the day, and they are great strategies on how to drink more water.
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Keep a water bottle nearby as a visual reminder to drink
An easy way to drink more water is by carrying a reusable water bottle with you.
A reusable water bottle is the perfect way to be constantly reminded to drink water throughout the day. Place the bottle within arm’s reach during training sessions, work hours, and daily activities.
The simple act of keeping water close creates a powerful habit loop for steady hydration. Make the bottle part of essential gear, just like running shoes or workout clothes. Consistent sips from a nearby bottle maintain proper fluid balance better than playing catch-up later.
Many endurance athletes pair their water bottles with Hydrate Elite electrolyte mix to maximize hydration benefits during intense training blocks. Some even keep stick packs in their bag for on-the-go and when at school or in the office.
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Drink before, during, and after exercise to stay ahead of dehydration
Your body needs 16 to 32 ounces of water for every 30 to 60 minutes of exercise. Start drinking water at least two hours before training to prep your muscles. During workouts, take small sips every 15 minutes to maintain peak performance.
This simple habit can help prevent muscle cramps and fatigue.
Proper timing makes a huge difference in your hydration. Mix EndurElite Hydrate Elite into your water bottle to replenish vital electrolytes lost through sweat. This is especially important during those long training sessions or races in hot weather.
Staying ahead of thirst helps you push harder and recover faster from strenuous workouts.
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Start to notice when you feel thirsty — then act on it
Thirst signals tell you to get a drink. A dry mouth and mild fatigue point to early signs of dehydration, making it vital for you to act when you experience these types of symptoms.
Most athletes miss these signals during intense training, which can lead to poor performance and slower recovery times.
The goal on how to drink more water is to drink water before you even feel thirsty. Light yellow urine is a visual sign of proper hydration levels. Taking small sips of water throughout your day helps maintain steady fluid intake.
Athletes need to drink extra water in hot weather to prevent dehydration and keep energy levels high. Hydrate Elite from EndurElite offers a perfect mix of electrolytes to boost hydration and enhance athletic performance.
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Eat more water-rich foods like cucumbers, watermelon, and oranges
Another way to drink more water throughout the day actually has nothing to do with physically drinking water.
Food plays a key role in your daily fluid needs. Many may not even realize that your body gets around 20% of its water from the foods you eat. Fruits and vegetables pack the most water content, giving you extra hydration plus vital nutrients.
Lettuce tops the list at 96% water, while celery follows at 95%. Watermelon, cantaloupe, and honeydew each contain about 90% water.
Smart food choices can help boost your hydration. It wouldn’t be a bad idea for you to consume water-rich snacks and foods like cucumber slices, orange wedges, or juicy watermelon chunks as part of your daily nutrition. These foods provide you with natural sugars for energy, plus electrolytes to help you stay hydrated.
The vitamins and minerals from these foods support your performance and recovery needs.
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Track your hydration by monitoring how often you use the restroom
Your bathroom visits tell a clear story about hydration levels. Light yellow urine signals proper fluid balance, while dark yellow or amber urine points to dehydration.
Many elite runners check their urine color first thing each morning and right after workouts. This simple practice prevents the 2% body weight water loss that hurts performance.
Since your body loses water through sweat during intense training, regularly monitoring your levels through urine color is crucial. You could even go as far as setting phone reminders to help track bathroom visits until this becomes a natural routine.
Boost Your Water with Electrolytes and Flavor Using Hydrate Elite
Everyone seems to focus on drinking plain water, but that might not give you enough electrolytes during intense training.
EndurElite Hydrate Elite is loaded with 3x more electrolytes than regular sports drinks, making it perfect for endurance athletes.
The natural blend of coconut water powder and Himalayan sea salt helps restore vital minerals lost through sweat. This clean formula keeps you performing at peak levels without added sugar or artificial ingredients.
Learning how to drink more water and staying ahead of dehydration becomes easier with great-tasting hydration options like Hydrate Elite. Not only that, but it mixes quickly into water for a refreshing drink that supports fluid balance during brutal training sessions and races.
The perfect combination of vitamins and minerals in Hydrate Elite helps regulate hydration at the cellular level. Athletes can use this powerful formula before training, during, or anytime throughout the day to maintain proper hydration levels.
The convenient powder format makes it simple to mix up a bottle at home, at the gym, or on race day.
Conclusion
Proper hydration makes a huge difference in your daily life and athletic success. The five simple tips on how to drink more water will help you stay on top of your hydration.
Taking things a step further, adding EndurElite Hydrate Elite to your water creates a refreshing drink that is loaded with vital electrolytes your body needs.
Your new water habits can boost energy levels and improve training performance. Start implementing these hydration tips in your daily routine to feel better and perform your best.
Additional How to Drink More Water Resources
- https://www.massgeneralbrigham.org/en/about/newsroom/articles/tips-for-staying-hydrated
- https://www.scripps.org/news_items/6630-6-simple-ways-to-stay-hydrated
- https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/how-to-drink-more-water
- https://www.onepeloton.com/blog/best-way-to-hydrate/
- https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/using-food-to-stay-hydrated
- https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8803723/
