7 Ways to Increase Body Water Percentage
Body water is critical for maintaining a healthy lifestyle because the human body is made of 60% water. When that level dips below 60%, all body systems can suffer. Without a healthy body water percentage, you can become sick, develop headaches, or suffer from joint pain.
You can keep your body healthy by increasing your body water percentage. Telling yourself to drink more water is only effective if you have one of these plans in place. Here is how to increase body water percentage according to your body composition.
7 Ways to Increase Body Water Percentage
#1 - Use a Water Tracking Application on Your Phone
Frequent reminders are an ideal way to increase your total body water percentage. A water tracking application on your phone will help you track the water intake for your body composition so that you increase your body water percentage. A water tracking application will remind you when you need to drink water, but it also allows you to track the amount of water you drink at a time.
#2 - Use a Refillable Water Bottle
A refillable water bottle makes it easy to increase your water intake. You can take a refillable water bottle with you wherever you go, so you won't forget to increase your daily water intake and body water percentage. It is also important to mention that you shouldn't wait until you are thirsty to begin drinking water. Instead, start your day off with a glass of water and drink from your refillable bottle throughout the day.
#3 - Eat Fruits and Vegetables With a High Water Content
You don't always have to drink water to increase your body water percentage. Eating fruits and vegetables that are high in water will help increase your body water percentage. Fruits and vegetables are water dense and have proven to be a good alternative to drinking plain water all the time.
The best fruits and vegetables for body water percentage include the following:
- Lettuce
- Celery
- Cucumbers
- Tomatoes
- Zucchini
- Pineapples
- Oranges
- Blueberries
- Watermelon
- Cantaloupe
#4 - Drink Plain Water at Every Meal
Drinking an 8-ounce glass of plain water at every meal (breakfast, lunch, and dinner) will guarantee that you take in 24 ounces of water during these times. Drinking water at every meal means you’ll take in at least half of your water intake for the day, increasing your hydration status.
#5 - Fill a Gallon Jug and Drink It Throughout the Day
Take a gallon jug and mark lines on it to show how much water you need to drink by certain hours of the day. By the end of the day, the gallon jug should be empty. This helps you stay on track to get your daily water intake. A gallon of water is 128 ounces which is how much water you should have on a daily basis.
#6 - Replace All Beverages With Plain Water
Whether it’s a morning cup of coffee or a soda with your favorite meal, replacing these beverages with plain water will help you increase your body water percentage. Try to avoid as many drinks as possible with sugar or artificial sweeteners because they can make you more dehydrated and cause you to urinate more frequently, reducing your body water percentage.
#7 - Get an Accountability Partner or Challenge Your Friends
Having someone keep you accountable for drinking water is a great way to increase your body water percentage. You can use an accountability partner or have a friendly challenge with your friends to make sure you hit your water goals each day.
Why Is Body Water Percentage Important?
Your body relies on water to perform the most basic functions. Without it, your heart wouldn’t beat, and your brain wouldn’t function correctly. Dehydration causes headaches and disorientation, making it so important to quickly replenish your body water percentage if it gets too low.
Your body faces water loss throughout the day by performing these functions. Sweating only makes you lose water that much quicker. If you find yourself sweating and frequently urinating, you lose your body water percentage much more quickly than normal and need to replenish it before becoming dehydrated.
Sometimes having a decreased water percentage is due to having more body fat and less fat-free body mass as you continue to age. Lean muscle tissue has more water than fatty tissue. So, a person's body weight and body composition can definitely affect the percentage of water one has in their body. To mesure water percentage you can use Smart Scales.
What Does Your Body Do With Water?
The human body stores water in two different places. It stores water within the cells or outside of the cells.
Water within the cells is called intracellular fluid (ICF), and it helps balance the sodium levels in the body. Nearly ⅔ of your body’s water percentage is intracellular water.
Water outside the cells is called extracellular fluid (ECF), and it makes up the water within the blood and body cavities. The extracellular water makes up about ⅓ of your body’s water percentage.
Water both inside and outside of the cells works together to balance sodium, potassium, and other electrolytes in the body to make sure the body functions properly. Without water and fluid intake, the levels in your body would be imbalanced, leading to potentially serious issues and even death.
When you have excess water in your body, it will eliminate it through urination. This is why you may find yourself frequently urinating when drinking water. Too much water in the body can increase your sodium levels which can be extremely dangerous. That’s why your body needs to regulate a healthy body water percentage. Your body will store water if it’s too low and excretes water if it’s too high.
Suppose you find yourself drinking water and not urinating frequently. In that case, you are likely dehydrated, and your body is storing the water it needs to maintain a healthy level, just as it would eliminate excess water through frequent urination if your body’s water percentage is too high.
Conclusion
Increasing your body water percentage is important for many reasons. Even the most basic functions in the body require water to perform. Following these tips will help you increase your body water percentage so that your body performs at an optimal level.
Drinking water shouldn’t be a chore. You can make it enjoyable by using your favorite water bottle or having a friendly challenge to help you hit your hydration level goals.
