The Gallon of Water a Day Challenge

With all the 90 Day Beach Body and 21 Days to Abs challenges out there, there’s one that’s often overlooked: the Gallon of Water a Day challenge.

The challenge has a number of proven benefits towards every aspect of one’s health: training, diet, and appearance. And it’s even simpler to do than you might think—to complete the challenge, you just need to drink a gallon of water a day. Why not mix BCAAs with your water to improve the taste and help you support your training goals?

When we say water we mean water. You should note that sugary drinks, for example, juices and sodas, and dairy products, like milk and drinkable yogurt, may reverse some of the benefits of the challenge because of the sugar and/or lactose they contain. So if you’re hoping to improve your health all-around, then look no further. The Gallon of Water a day challenge can provide the results you need, both quickly and easily.

The Benefits of the Gallon a Day Challenge

When exercising your body is going to lose water through sweat, meaning you’ll end up getting dehydrated if you don’t drink anything during an intense workout! When you drink adequate amounts of water during exercise, you will have the ability to work harder and have more effective workouts.

Your heart doesn't have to work as hard to pump blood around your body if you’re staying hydrated, and you, therefore, conserve more energy. Personally, I’ve found that drinking tons of water while I’m in the gym is the easiest way to reach my gallon-a-day goal. I like to sip water or BCAAs between my sets, even more so when I’m doing cardio.

By the end of the workout, I’ll have drunk 6-8 cups, putting me much closer to my 16 cup goal by the end of the day. I also carry a larger water bottle because of 2 key benefits: it doesn’t need to be refilled as often and having water constantly there is a good way to get yourself to drink more, which as we’ve seen, will have many benefits on your physical performance.

Water can be a wonderful dieting tool. For one, drinking water is an easy way to strip away excess calories. Weight loss and sugary drinks don’t go together. If you find yourself constantly pouring glasses of juice and the numbers on the scale aren’t going down, try water—it’s the easiest way to cut calories.

Just one cup of juice/soda can contain as many as 140 calories and 30+ grams of sugar. Replace that with water, and suddenly, you’ll have far more room for healthy foods, or be able to better maintain a caloric deficit. Additionally, the easiest way to curb cravings is to simply drink some more water. I recommend drinking 2 cups before a meal and then sipping more while you eat. This way, you’ll greatly increase the feeling of satiation from your food and you'll have fewer cravings throughout the day.

Water has also been shown in scientific studies to increase metabolic rate, which means that by drinking more water, your body may burn more calories throughout the day. With regards to these studies, you should not rely on water to create a caloric deficit. If they are true, however, then water can be a good way to increase metabolism, but we just can not be sure that it’s a reliable weight loss method (certainly not as much as creating a balanced diet plan and sticking to it day in and day out). With its ability to keep you feeling nourished, replace excess calories, and promote a healthy metabolism, water is fundamental to any weight loss diet.

And as if it couldn’t get any better, water cures acne! …OK, that’s a bit of a stretch, but here me out on this on. Chances are, if you’re reading this, you’ve dealt with acne before—we all have. Luckily, if this is a problem for you, then drinking a gallon of water every day may just be the remedy that you’re looking for.

Tons of people that have tried the challenge, including myself, have found that an increased water intake has led to healthier looking skin. By staying hydrated, myself and many others included, have noticed acne and redness reduction, a “glow” effect on the skin, and more energy throughout the day. In addition to great skin, water has also been shown to combat bad breath throughout the day. These cosmetic improvements are just a handful of the benefits of having an increased water intake, making it an essential part of any healthconscious individual’s lifestyle.

Make Sure You Drink a Gallon a Day

The easiest way is to get yourself a Gallon Hydrator from Myprotein. Fill it up at the beginning of the day and make sure it is empty at the end!

You may find it more convenient to get yourself a Half Gallon Hydrator - remember to add BCAAs to your water to improve the taste and help your muscles recover after training.

Take Home Message

There are tons of “superfoods” out there, we’re probably discovering a new one almost every week, but it’s not as often that you hear mention of the one “superdrink”: water. Thanks to its incredible benefits in training, dieting, and appearance, water should be a clear staple in any health-conscious individuals lifestyle. There’s a reason it was the only thing humans drank. If you’re looking to tune up your life, then give the Gallon of Water a Day challenge a shot, and reap the rewards!