Is 3 liters a lot of water?

12

It’s often afternoon before I feel the urge to take a sip from my water bottle and just a couple of big gulps will satisfy my thirst.

I never reach the recommended daily amount of two litres. In fact, my body seems to cope perfectly fine with just one.

But considering our brains are 77% water, one litre doesn’t seem like a lot.

There are trillions of cells in our body and every single one of them requires water to function. So it seems logical that the more liquid we put in, the better we operate.

12

12

Elle MacPherson and Beyonce claim their flawless, youthful looks are all down to three litres of H20 on the daily, according to The Cut.

This left me wondering… have I been damaging - and even ageing - my body by drinking so little?

Research shows that aside from maintaining bodily functions, drinking lots of water can also help solve many health problems including headaches, indigestion, fatigue and stress, as well as improve the physical appearance of our skin and aid with weight loss.

Apparently almost every common health issue or skin related problem can be helped with a bit of water.

Having suffered from insomnia and dry skin for my entire adult life, I was keen to put this theory to the test.

The challenge: Drink three litres of water a day for one week to see if water really is the miracle cure that science suggests it to be.

12

The experiment

Before beginning the experiment I paid a visit to my GP to see how drastically upping my water intake (and exceeding the recommended daily amount) would improve or harm my body.

Despite the obvious health benefits, I was surprised to learn that there can be some serious risks that come with over-drinking.

I’m told that drinking too much, especially in cold climates and alongside a sedentary lifestyle, can lead to water-leakage in the brain.

But if I drank regularly throughout the day and continued with my current exercise regime, I was at very low risk of this.

Day 1

12

A sucker for expensive skincare products with exotic ingredients, I was feeling pessimistic for the week ahead. Surely a few glasses of water wouldn’t compare to my £46 tub of Clinique moisturiser?

It took me until 3pm to finish my first litre and the rest of the day was then spent between my desk, frantically guzzling from my bottle and the toilet - which I visited 12 times that day!

Slumped in bed feeling sick, bloated and uncomfortable, I realised I’d been naïve to the difficulty of my challenge.

Integrating this much water into my daily routine was going to be tricky.

Day 2

12

I neither looked nor felt any different waking up the next day. I reluctantly filled my bottle at 7am, determined not to repeat yesterday’s mistake. And my mood didn’t improve when nature called whilst out on a lengthy dog walk. Surrounded by shrubbery and not a toilet in sight, my options were limited.

Evening came and I wasn’t surprised that I’d seen no obvious change at this early stage. But my constant need for the loo was really getting in the way of daily life. Surely I couldn’t survive the week like this?

Day 3

12

Satisfied from a great night’s sleep and suddenly noticing a surprising softness to my skin, the previous days’ woes were quickly forgotten. Although I couldn’t physically see any changes, my skin felt smoother and it seemed to be absorbing my moisturiser much better.

Having not eaten much that day, I was taken aback by my sudden burst of energy at the gym. With more stamina and fewer food cravings, I was finally starting to see some small but significant benefits.

Day 4

12

I was relieved that my body had finally adjusted to my new routine; the bloating subsided and I was no longer running to a toilet every two minutes – HOORAY!

Having indulged in a few glasses of wine the night before, I was anticipating the familiar, post-alcohol headache. But feeling fully hydrated, the sore head never came – why had I never tried this before?! I’d expected better skin, but it hadn’t dawned on me that water was also an unbeatable hangover cure!

Watching my friends suffer on their sofas only made me more smug.

How much water should I drink a day?

The NHS advise drinking six to eight glasses of fluids per day.

Roughly speaking, this is about three or four 500ml bottles of water.

And it's not a good idea to over-do it, because this can impact negatively on your health too.

Water isn't the only drink which counts. Low-fat milks and sugar-free drinks, as well as plain breakfast tea, coffee and herbal tea all count.

In the UK, the average soft drink comes in a 330ml bottle.

But beware, caffeine can be dehydrating - while juice and smoothies contain natural sugars which damage your teeth.

Drink no more than 150ml of juice per day, and try to stick to no-added-sugar squash.

Sipping on sparkling water, or adding a slice of lemon or lime to normal tap water, can be a good idea for those who don't like the taste of H20.

Everyone's slightly different, but passing clear urine is a good sign that you are hydrated.

Day 5

12

I was at last starting to actually see the impact of the water. The dark and indented bags under my eyes looked lighter and less heavy. And despite the early start to my morning, my eyes themselves looked brighter.

Greeted with some rare British sunshine and having sweated out much of the liquid I’d put into my body, I surprised myself by exceeding my three litre target (I drank 3.5 litres). I felt much thirstier than usual and regular sips of water were becoming a necessity.

Day 6

12

With the week drawing to a close, I was in a positive mind-set with clearer skin and a clearer head. I was surprised at how quickly my skin had changed, it had all-over dewy consistency and seemed plump and fresh.

I was still popping to the toilet more than usual, but the pros outweighed this con.

Day 7

12

At the end of the challenge I felt and looked healthier. The results were beyond anything I’d expected.

The biggest change was in my skin. My face was no longer dry and blotchy, it felt hydrated, smooth and the dull bags under my eyes had faded.

I’d lost a tiny bit of weight (0.4kg), but as I’m firmly within the healthy range on the BMI scale, my weight loss expectations were low.

The Fabulous Beauty Awards 2019

Win a dream holiday to Jamaica worth over £4,000 by voting in our Fabulous Beauty Awards

All you have to do to be in with a chance of winning this trip, worth over £4,000, is to vote for your fave products. Whether you’re a sucker for skincare, a lover of lippy or a hair product hoarder, having your say will mean you can enter our prize draw to not only win this incredible holiday, but to also get your mitts on a host of other incredible prizes – worth a total of more than £13,500!

Vote now

My insomnia on the other hand had dramatically improved. And although it wasn’t cured, I was sleeping deeply and for longer. I woke up feeling rejuvenated and energised in the mornings.

I’m not tempted to ditch my moisturiser just yet, but my days of drinking just one litre are certainly in the past.

Is 3 liters of water a day too much?

How many glasses of water is 3 Litres?