30-Days Water Challenge: My Experience and Findings

Water Is The Real Elixir!

I don't think I need to mention how important water is for us. We are 60% water, and this is enough to support that statement. Each and every single cell in our body needs water to function.

Even 1% dehydration causes significant disturbance in our body's functioning.

Yet, the sad truth is that most of us are dehydrated most of the time. This included me. And that's why I took the 30-days Water Challenge, as a part of my wellness journey.

I started the challenge on 5th Oct 2018. The main motivation for me to take this challenge was the fact that I suddenly developed a lot of acne, and my skin looked dead overall- really dry and rough.

I noticed that my water intake was nil, other than the coffee/tea that I was consuming and a glass of water or two that followed my meals. This was really shocking, to be honest, when I realized how dehydrated I had been for the past 2 months, which was exactly when I started developing the problems.

I knew at that moment that my problems are rooting from the fact that I was not drinking enough water, and so I started monitoring my water intake.

But Here's the Problem

Not drinking water is a "habit" that most of us have. We don't have the habit to reach out and grab a glass of water unless we're thirsty.

Our habits reflect how much we value our health and life. And the fact that we are more habitual of reaching to our phones than to water proves just that.

But habits can be really difficult to break-- a scientific fact.

So, since I was not used to drink water, I had to develop a habit to do so.

In the initial days I kept on forgetting. So I tried to figure out a way to make sure I drink enough water. For me the "2-glass method" and always having water in my reach has done a great job. Both these methods have been discussed in another post (and other ways that I tried out to ensure enough water intake)- How I Make Sure I Drink Enough Water.

It's also important that you calculate your daily requirement of water since it's different for everyone. You can check out this post to know how: How Much Water Should You Drink Every Day.

Eventually I did started doing well at managing my water intake consistently, and by the end of the challenge I was easily fulfilling my minimum water requirement, and was drinking more towards the upper limit of my recommended water intake.

To develop a habit you need to repeat the task again and again......and that can be really difficult- I understand that. But you have to stay consistent if you are serious about the change. Do not abandon your plan if you fail to fulfill your water intake on the very first day. Trying everyday will eventually help you develop the new habit.

Now, before we jump into the changes that I noticed, let's check out some common signs of dehydration, and see if you are dehydrated or not.

Signs of Dehydration

Thirst is the first sign of dehydration. It's literally your body telling you to drink water. So if you are thirsty right now, drink water stat!

There are a lot of technical terms that I can throw in but the following points are what a common man should know. These are the things that I have noted in myself (and also most commonly seen). You are dehydrated if:

1. You are peeing only once or twice a day. On an average, you should pee 6-7 times a day. Yes, you read it right. 6-7 times.
2. Your urine is way too dark in color. A deep yellow urine with a strong odor is a sign that you are dehydrated.
3. You have dry and rough skin, even when you don't have a dry skin type.
4. Your mouth is always dry and you have chapped lips all the time.
5. You frequently suffer from constipation. GI problems are one of the most common conditions resulting from dehydration.

Some Other Common Signs Are:

1. Lack of energy, and excessive sleepiness.
2. A headache
3. Sunken eyes (which you probably won't be able to tell on yourself, to be honest).
4. Confusion
5. Difficulty concentration.
6. Loss of consciousness (in severe cases).

How Can You Tell You Are Well Hydrated

Once you start drinking adequate water you will start seeing some changes. These changes will indicate that your hydration has improved. So, don't forget to notice the changes, as these changes will further act as a great motivation for you to continue with your new habit.

Based on my experience, when the followings things start happening to you, you can rest assured that you are well hydrated:

1. You literally spend half of your time in the toilet; either peeing or pooping. You will actually make a mental note of the fact that "I'm spending a lot of time in the toilet".
2. The amount of urine you pass at once is much, much, much more than ever before.
3. Your urine is very light in colour; straw-colored and odorless.
4. You don't need to make extra efforts to pass poo, and they happen very regularly, in fact, maybe even at the same time every day.
5. No chapped lips! No matter what's the temperature outside, you don't get chapped lips. I treat chapped lips as the major indicator for dehydration.

My Findings:

Here are the few changes that I could see once I started drinking enough water:

1. My acne has reduced significantly. 
2. My skin looks so much better and plum. 
3. I don't get chapped lips; without applying any kind of lip balms or lip creams.
4. The episodes of headache have also reduced for me. (I do suffer from frequent headaches).
5. I feel fresh, more energetic, and even happy. Happy, mostly because I have this sense of accomplishment that I developed a new healthy habit.
6. It also helped me control my appetite for some reason, and thus helping in my weight loss mission. I noticed that ever since I started taking this challenge, my cravings have gone down significantly. And I literally mean significantly.
7. This challenge has also improved my attitude towards self-care. Self-care is one very important contributor to personal wellness- I can say that now.

Conclusion:

In conclusion, I only have this to say: I'm really glad that I took this challenge.

This challenge solved all the health issues that I was facing at the time and really helped me realize how important water is for us. It's just so amazing to know that a simple habit can have such a huge impact on our health.

Considering how much water I'm drinking now just to reach the minimum water requirement for my weight, I've realized how less water I was consuming before. It was a revelation!

I urge you to take this challenge yourself and see the difference. This could be the simple solution to the common problems you might be having and not even noticing. This challenge could reveal a lot to you about your habits and issues, just like it did for me.

You can read about this challenge here: 30-Days Water Challenge.

And if you do decide to take the challenge, let me know about your findings.

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If there is magic on this planet, it is contained in water.

-Unknown

© Quirky Writes 2018