It’s obvious that water keeps us hydrated. However, when it comes to the human body, there are benefits of drinking water that we may not even realize. In the midst of final projects and other stressors, I challenged myself to drink a half gallon of water (about 70 ounces) every day for a week – and this was my experience.
Day 1:
Over Thanksgiving, I stopped into the spa for a facial. The facialist complimented my skin, but told me that the underlying cause for many of my skin issues (blackheads, excess oil, and flaky dry skin) came from dehydration- a.k.a lack of water. After the fact, she also explained that a good skincare routine is secondary to water intake. Water is king, and without it, our skin suffers. I managed to drink the entire half gallon and it felt excessive, but I was excited to see the impact. Disclaimer: The recommended water intake for a normal adult female is about half your bodyweight in ounces – roughly a half gallon for me.
Day 2:
Today, the challenge was a little bit easier. After a week of Thanksgiving proportions, the water helped me detox from all the sugar, meat, and salt I’d been eating. I noticed that it helped keep me full, and curbed my appetite away from the Thanksgiving leftovers.
Day 3:
The first day back to classes was the most challenging day within the week. I just left the comfort of my home routine only to dive right back into all of my assignments and projects. As much as I craved coffee throughout the day, I stuck to my guns and only drank water. Surprisingly, I was able to function just fine without my usual caffeine fix. I haven’t seen much of a difference in my skin yet, but the puffiness in my eyes has definitely gone away.
Day 4:
Today, I woke up with ease before my 9:30 class. I felt refreshed, a new feeling in comparison to my usual Tuesday mornings. During my classes, I drank water and managed to feel alert and energized the entire day. At night, after hitting the library, I felt like my mental performance was optimal. In fact, I got less sleep the night before than usual- yet I still felt sharp and alert.
Day 5
As Wednesday rolled around, the half gallon intake was becoming routine. I noticed overall my skin was clearer, and that the dry skin around my nose/lips/mouth was slightly improving. Today was also my first day back at the gym, and I felt energized and ready to workout. I managed to finish my workout in less time because I needed fewer breaks. The power of water!
Day 6
Strangely, today was the hardest day of the challenge, because I didn’t have much time to focus on drinking water. With last minute tasks, school work, and extracurriculars, somehow I managed to get in the full half gallon and my skin was thankful for it! I knew the final day of the challenge was within reach.
Day 7
It was finally Friday, and the last day of the challenge. I finished the challenged and was overjoyed at the end result when I realized how much better I did feel. After a stressful week, my body rejoiced in the influx of water and I was feeling good. When nighttime rolled around, I noticed I was less bloated, my makeup went on perfectly, and the bags under my eyes went down significantly. No more puffy eyes!
Conclusion
This week’s experience will have an impact on my daily routine. The way I felt after keeping my body well hydrated was something that I definitely don’t want to give up. Aside from the improvement on my skin, hair, and undereye circles, I generally felt better overall. Even on days when I can’t drink a half gallon of water, I will still continue to make an effort for my wellbeing.