Hydration & Electrolytes: How to Stay Truly Hydrated
Are you feeling confused about how much water you should be drinking and whether it can help with weight loss? Let’s dive into the importance of hydration and how it impacts your overall health and fitness goals.
The Question: How Much Water Should You Drink?
One of the easiest ways to assess your hydration status is by checking the color of your urine:
Light yellow to pale straw color – Ideal hydration.
Dark yellow or amber – You may be dehydrated and need more water.
Clear urine – You might be overhydrating, which can dilute essential electrolytes.
It’s a common dilemma: Should you aim for a gallon of water per day, or is half your body weight in ounces enough? The truth is, hydration isn’t a one-size-fits-all equation. Your water needs depend on various factors like activity level, sweat rate, climate, and overall lifestyle.
Water is essential for many bodily functions, including:
Fat metabolism – Your body needs water to break down stored fat and convert it into energy.
Muscle function – Proper hydration helps prevent cramps and supports strength performance.
Digestion – Water aids in breaking down food, nutrient absorption, and gut health.
Breaking the '1 Gallon a Day' Myth
For years, old-school bodybuilding advice claimed that drinking a gallon (128 oz) of water daily was the golden rule. While hydration is critical, chugging excessive amounts of water isn’t necessary for most people and can actually work against you. Drinking too much water too quickly can dilute essential electrolytes like sodium, potassium, and magnesium, which are crucial for muscle function, nerve signaling, and hydration balance. This is why bodybuilders who force themselves to drink a gallon a day often find themselves running to the bathroom constantly—and peeing out valuable minerals their body actually needs.
So, what’s a realistic target?
Women: Around 2.6 liters (88 oz) per day
Men: Around 3.8 liters (120 oz) per day
However, these numbers aren’t set in stone. If you train intensely, sweat a lot, or live in a hot climate, you’ll likely need more. The key is to listen to your body’s signals—thirst, energy levels, and urine color are great indicators of hydration needs.
Instead of fixating on a gallon, focus on steady hydration throughout the day, ensuring your body absorbs and utilizes the water efficiently rather than flushing it out too quickly.
Electrolytes: The Key to Proper Hydration
Most brands market 'electrolyte' drinks, but if you check the labels, many contain only tiny amounts of key minerals—meaning you’re paying for flavored water rather than real hydration support. A quality electrolyte mix should include adequate sodium, potassium, and magnesium to replenish what you lose through sweat and daily activity.
Additionally, we lose a significant amount of sodium in our first morning urine—which means we wake up already slightly dehydrated. This is why starting your morning with salt and water before coffee is an excellent way to support proper hydration from the start.
Drinking plain water alone is not the best way to hydrate. Your body needs electrolytes—like sodium, potassium, and magnesium—to help maintain proper fluid balance. Without them, water can pass through your system too quickly, leading to frequent urination and flushing out essential minerals.
Electrolytes help your body absorb and retain water, making hydration more effective. If you've ever felt like you're constantly drinking water but still feeling dehydrated, it's likely because you're missing key electrolytes.
Caffeine & Electrolyte Depletion
Drinking coffee or other caffeinated beverages can increase fluid loss by acting as a mild diuretic, meaning it encourages your body to excrete more water. This also leads to a depletion of essential electrolytes like sodium, potassium, and magnesium, which are crucial for muscle function, energy production, and hydration balance. If you rely on caffeine daily, it’s even more important to replenish your electrolytes to avoid dehydration, fatigue, and muscle cramps.
How to Start Your Morning for Optimal Hydration
Before reaching for coffee, start your day with salt and water to replenish minerals and kickstart hydration. Try this:
Drink a glass of filtered water with a pinch of high-quality sea salt to replenish sodium lost overnight.
Follow it with an electrolyte mix, like 1 scoop of Redmond Re-Lyte Hydration in 10-12 oz of water.
Then have your coffee, knowing you’ve already set a strong hydration foundation for the day.
How I Incorporate Electrolytes into My Day:
Morning Hydration: I start my day with 1 scoop of Redmond Re-Lyte Hydration mixed into 10-12 oz of water, blended, and poured over ice.
Pre/Post-Workout: Depending on how I’m feeling, I drink 1-2 scoops of Redmond Re-Lyte in 10-24 oz of water before or after intense workouts to replenish lost minerals and optimize hydration.
If you’re drinking a lot of water but still feeling sluggish, cramping, or constantly needing to pee, try adding electrolytes to your routine to ensure proper hydration balance.
Hydration & Muscle Growth: Why Water and Carbs Matter
For my strength training and muscle-building friends, hydration goes beyond just preventing cramps—it plays a crucial role in muscle fullness, recovery, and performance.
When you train, your muscles store carbohydrates as glycogen, and each gram of glycogen is stored with 3-4 grams of water. This means that proper hydration directly impacts how full and strong your muscles appear. If you’ve ever noticed your muscles looking flat or deflated, you might not be drinking enough water or consuming enough carbs.
Why Hydration Matters for Strength & Muscle Growth:
Water helps transport nutrients to muscles, ensuring they get the fuel needed to grow and recover.
Dehydration reduces muscle endurance and strength, leading to fatigue and weaker lifts.
Proper hydration supports joint lubrication, helping prevent stiffness and reducing the risk of injury.
Carbs + Water = Muscle Fullness. If you’re under-consuming water or carbs, your muscles won’t store glycogen optimally, impacting both performance and aesthetics.
If you want to maximize muscle growth, energy, and training performance, don’t just focus on protein—prioritize water and electrolytes, too.
Beyond Weight Loss: The Benefits of Staying Hydrated
Drinking enough water isn’t just about weight loss—though it can help by increasing fullness and reducing unnecessary snacking. Here are some additional benefits:
Better Performance – Dehydration leads to fatigue and decreased endurance during workouts.
Clearer Skin – Proper hydration supports skin elasticity and reduces dryness.
Improved Sleep – Staying hydrated helps regulate body temperature and recovery during sleep.
Stronger Digestion – Water keeps your digestive system moving, reducing bloating and constipation.
Filtered Water: Why It Matters
Not all water is created equal. Tap water often contains chemicals, heavy metals, and contaminants that can impact your body over time. Using a high-quality water filter ensures that you’re drinking clean, safe water, free of toxins that might interfere with hydration and overall health.
A reverse osmosis filter or a high-mineral filter can be a great investment to ensure you’re getting the purest water possible.
How to Increase Your Water Intake
Carrying a water bottle with you all day is one of the simplest ways to remind yourself to drink more water. Having it within reach makes it easier to sip throughout the day rather than chugging large amounts at once. I personally love using a HydroJug for this—it keeps me on track and ensures I’m staying consistent with my intake.
If you’re not currently meeting your hydration goals, start by assessing where you are now. Instead of jumping straight to a gallon a day, gradually increase your intake.
For example, if you typically drink little to no water, suddenly jumping to 100 oz a day might leave you feeling bloated, constantly running to the bathroom, and even flushing out essential electrolytes too quickly. Instead, try doubling your current intake over the next few days. If you usually drink about 30 oz, aim for 60 oz first, then gradually build up to your ideal range.
If you’re not currently meeting your hydration goals, don’t stress—start small. Here’s how to gradually increase your intake:
Assess Your Current Intake – Track how much you’re drinking daily.
Set a Goal – Aim to double your intake. Try half your body weight in oz, or hit up to 88-128oz per day depending on your lifestyle.
Spread It Out – Drink water consistently throughout the day.
Flavor It Up – Add lemon, cucumber, or electrolyte powders if plain water bores you.
Avoid Nighttime Overload – Drinking too much before bed can disrupt sleep.
Your Hydration Challenge
Here’s a challenge for you: Track your water intake for the next two weeks and aim for 88 oz to 128 oz daily. However, if you currently drink only around 20 oz per day, don’t jump straight to 88 oz overnight. Instead, start by doubling your intake first. Going from 20 oz to 40 oz is a much more manageable step than suddenly hitting 100+ oz, which could leave you feeling bloated and constantly running to the bathroom. Increase gradually over time and listen to how your body responds.
Remember: hydration isn’t about hitting a magic number—it’s about feeling your best.
Further Reading & My Top Hydration Recommendations
Want to dive deeper into hydration, minerals, and why electrolytes matter? I highly recommend The Salt Fix and The Mineral Fix by Dr. James DiNicolantonio. These books break down the science of hydration, how minerals affect performance, and why sodium isn’t the enemy we’ve been told it is.
Also, if you’re looking for an easy way to stay on top of your hydration goals, I highly recommend using a HydroJug—it’s my go-to water jug to keep me accountable all day. Shop HydroJug Here.
Hydration Helper: Redmond Re-Lyte
Looking for a way to boost your hydration beyond just water? I recommend Redmond Re-Lyte, an electrolyte blend that supports hydration, muscle function, and recovery. Simply mix a scoop into 12 oz of water for a refreshing, revitalizing drink.
Shop My Favorite Hydration Product and take your hydration to the next level!
