Water is for the Birds (And You, Too)
You’ve heard it before. You’ve read it before. You know beyond a reasonable doubt that you’re SUPPOSED to drink water. I am saying literally NOTHING new. And yet. We tend to find ourselves thirsty, which is already a sign that our bodies are desperately in need of water. A slight dip in hydration completely sabotages your brain power, your energy power, and even your metabolism.
I once saw an Instagram post that said something to the effect of: You know you’re actually an adult when you realize that the true adult beverage is actually water.
So, eyeball me all you want and tell me that water is for the birds, but let’s get into it. Here are my Core Thoughts on why proper hydration isn't a bonus—it's essential equipment.
The Energy Thief: Your Brain on Dehydration
For the busy parent and business owner (me included!), the most immediate danger of low water intake isn't a cramp—it's brain fog.
The Sigh-Worthy Truth: Studies show that a loss of just 1% to 2% of your body weight in fluid can lead to headaches, fatigue, and difficulty concentrating. For a 150-pound person, that’s just 1.5 to 3 pounds of fluid—easily lost while sleeping or just sitting at your desk.*
Running on "Hard Mode": When you are even mildly dehydrated, your brain has to work harder to achieve the same result. Tasks feel more difficult, you struggle with short-term memory, and your mood declines. You thought you were a cranky bi-atch before? We should come up with the dehydrated version of, “hangry.”
Core Thought: Stop reaching for the coffee! When you hit that 2 PM slump, your brain is often confusing a thirst signal with a fatigue signal. Water is the fastest, cheapest productivity hack you have. (If you just side-eyed me… believe me, I just side-eyed myself writing this. But, alas, side-eyeing doesn’t make it less true. Sorry, babes!)
The Fitness Fuel: Building Smooth Muscles
If your goal is to be pain-free, mobile, and strong (which any one of these should be!), water is your foundation.
The Pilates & Fitness Connection: Your muscles need water! When they don’t get it, they’re more likely to cramp and basically feel like dog shit.
The Injury Risk: Being properly hydrated is what allows your muscles to be elastic and your joints to move smoothly. You literally can't stretch or contract fully when your tissues are dry. Without water, your Pilates session, weight lifting, or whatever cardio you partake in is less effective and you are more prone to injury.
Metabolism and the Hunger Trick
Water plays a silent, powerful role in managing your weight and cravings.
The Confusion Signal: Just like confusing thirst with fatigue, your body often confuses thirst with hunger. Before you reach for that midday extra snack, try downing a glass of water and waiting 15 minutes. Still hungry? Get down with your bad self. While drinking water.
The Fat-Burning Environment: Water is necessary for every metabolic process, including the transportation of nutrients and the flushing of waste. A sluggish metabolism needs a fluid environment to run efficiently.
Your Personal Water Target (Ditch the 8-Glass Rule)
The old advice to drink eight glasses a day is fine, but it ignores your size, climate, and activity. Here are two simple, personalized ways to find your hydration goal:
The Baseline Formula (Your Weight): **
Take your weight in pounds and divide it by two.
The Result: That number is your minimum daily goal in ounces.
Example: A 160 lb person should aim for at least 80 oz of water per day.
The Activity Multiplier:
Add 12 ounces to your daily total for every 30 minutes of moderate to intense exercise. This replaces what you sweat out.
The Simple Check (The True Test): The easiest way to know if you're hydrated is to check your urine. It should be a pale straw yellow or colorless. If it's dark yellow or amber, you need to grab your water bottle immediately.
Core Thought: If your workouts aren't working, check your water first. If you’re pushing hard in your workouts, but not seeing results, or if your afternoon energy dip feels like hitting a wall, your first question shouldn't be, "What supplement should I take?" It should be, "Did I drink enough water?"
Are you thinking that maybe you need a little help reaching those wellness goals? You know the drill. Come have a chat with me! Let’s get those general wellness and fitness goals lined up and rocking.
Now that we know why water is the biggest game-changer for your health and fitness, the next step is figuring out how to make it happen without feeling like you're chained to the sink (and, therefore, the porcelain throne.) Join me next week for my best and potentially laziest hacks for hitting your hydration goals!
Still thinking you could use a little help on figuring this all out??? Guess what? That’s literally my job! Hint hint: If you sign a 3-month commitment with me in the month of November (2025), you’ll get a code for 15% off! Just reference this post when chatting with me!
SOURCES:
UConn (admittedly, this study is a wee bit older than I’d normally recommend my students in the day of yore use, but it’s a solid outcome and worth at least considering - I haven’t seen anything denying it or changing the noted outcomes)
University of Missouri (definitely much more recent ;))
Mayo Clinic (another great and accessible read on the benefits of drinking water and consequences of not doing so)