It is pretty common knowledge that you are suppose to drink 8 to 10 glasses (size 8 oz) of water a day but if you are working out hard each day your body will require more. I personally drink 1 1/2 gallons of water a day but I do have a very active workout routine.  I workout in the mornings and probably drink around 1/2 a gallon when I am at the gym (between my cardio and weight training).

Benefits of drinking water

• Helps remove toxins and waste from the body
• Helps metabolize body fat
• Helps pass nutrients into the muscles

A few of the negative effects of not drinking enough water are:

• Headaches
• Fatigue
• Muscle weakness
• Dizziness
• Excessive thirst

A few tricks when drinking water.

• Drink it cold (uses a few more calories to warm up the water, plus warm water does not settle well with my stomach)
• If you are having a hard time drinking a gallon a day then take an old one gallon milk carton and fill it up with water.  Make sure you take your gallon of water with you wherever you go and don’t go to bed until you finished the entire jug.

Keep in mind that drinking lots of water is not a weight loss gimmick but one of many tools to help you achieve a healthy and leaner body.  You still have to exercise and eat right if you want to achieve great results.